The older I get the younger I feel. I’ve heard those words a lot from those of us who are Boomers. Now, having read that, don’t take it too literally. There are some getting older body issues that could be called annoying, but that refers to the body age, not the mind age (like other mechanical things, bodies can wear out)
Mind-age can be a wonderful thing. Depending on how you were raised, or the experiences you have had in your life, or even what you have learned on your journey through life, your mind-age can help you to increase the quality of your daily life right now.
I’m certain that there isn’t one of us who hasn’t experienced the myriad of emotional upsets that seem to visit all of us as we tick off the years. Sadly, some of us may have gone as far as to attempt suicide, we may have felt so unworthy or unloved.
The joy of aging is that we are less likely to believe the words of others and how they may impact us. We tend to know who we really are and quite frankly, as the joke says, ‘we don’t give a damn’ (translation: we finally realize that what others think of us is indeed their business and not ours). It was an epiphanal and emotionally freeing moment for me when I realized this.
For those of us who are aware, we might also be less concerned about what our own minds tell us about us as well (yes, you read this correctly). Our brains sometimes have become so used to thinking toxic thoughts (left over from growing up) that they continue along the same road. You know the lines: “I am stupid”; “I am fat”; “I am an idiot”; “Nobody loves me”; “Did I say the wrong thing?” etc. etc.
As I am on social media, I read the posts by many ‘forty-and-fifty-somethings’ as they post all these ‘wise quotes’ as if to try to reinforce them in their own minds.
We practice with the quotes and wise sayings and eventually we believe and own them as our own. Then we unknowingly walk the talk and start to feel better about ourselves. That’s when it starts; the turn-around of the mind-age.
Initially we don’t see the irony of our comments, compared with a quote we have just shared on social media.
It takes a while for the mind to grasp this. It takes years in fact, to have the words sink deep enough into our mind’s core that we just automatically practice the knowledge, without having to review or remind ourselves first.
It’s brilliant how this works. As we lose what our society has seemingly placed the most emphasis on (appearance and other shallow ideas), our brains and our attitude become insightful, empowering and much happier.
If we choose, our mind-age can lift us from any challenge we may face and we can divest ourselves of the toxic thoughts of our younger selves. It’s powerfully liberating.
Our mind-age equals our freedom.
Carole Fawcett is a counsellor, clinical hypnotherapist, freelance writer/editor. www.amindfulconnection.com