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Although society may try to convince us otherwise, getting older isn’t something to be afraid of but rather something to feel proud of. However, even the most confident individuals can feel unnerved as their age increases. Don’t let anxiety over a number stress you out. Let's look into a few ways to maintain confidence as you age and relieve any tension you may be feeling around this topic.
Stay Physically Fit
Everyone has probably heard this a million times before, but it’s worth repeating. Staying physically active is crucial to just about every part of your well-being—self-esteem and confidence as well as mental, physical, and emotional health. While it’s better to start as early as possible, it’s never too late to get active. Walking around your neighborhood, taking the dog out, or even playing with children in your family can be enough exercise to maintain your health.
To help yourself stay motivated, try a group exercise—maybe a yoga class. Sometimes working out alone can make the whole experience feel a little boring. However, having others around can create a more fun environment and help to hold you accountable. You can take online classes as well if that’s of more convenience to you.
Maintain Your Look
A common fear amongst people further into adulthood is the idea of looking different than they did in their youth. While some change is unavoidable, who says you won’t look better as you age? The older you are, the more time you must find what works for your hair, skin, and nails. But with time, we may grow neglectful of our hair and skin. So let’s revisit a few essential steps to remember. SPF is your friend, and UV rays are not! Protecting your skin health is a priority and wearing sunscreen is an easy addition to your routine.
For your hair, it’s crucial to stay consistent in a few areas—cutting dead ends, using a deep conditioner, and using quality styling tools. As people get older, their hair typically begins to thin due to the hair growth rate slowing down. So if you notice significant hair loss, consider a new addition to your hair care regimen like a topical minoxidil treatment. It can prevent further loss and help you regrow the hair that you’ve lost over the years.
Become Digitally Savvy
Being self-sufficient is a major component of confidence. Knowing that you can provide for yourself is essential and staying digitally savvy will help you with that. As the world makes new technological advancements, you want to ensure that you’re aware of the ones that can influence and even improve your life—for example, telehealth. Understanding how to use your laptop, phone, or other digital devices to talk to your healthcare provider is a valuable skill to have. This will help you to take control of your health in a simpler, more intuitive way.
Not only that but remaining knowledgeable on what's current in the digital world will help to decrease your chances of being a target for people with bad intentions. You’ll be less likely to be on the receiving end of an email, insurance, online shopping, or tech support scam if you’re digitally savvy. Look for support around you and ask your loved ones to teach you what they know for an easy way to increase your digital knowledge.
Go After What You Want
Due to ageism, you may feel stuck to specific roles, spaces, and activities. However, you shouldn’t let ageism determine how you live your life. Whether you’re pursuing a certain job or doing a particular activity, you should continue to go after you want—no matter your age. When you’re out of your element, it’s easy to get self-conscious. But the only way to confidently own the space or role that you’re in is by believing that you belong there.
Walk confidently into every room or situation with your head held high knowing that you can accomplish whatever you want. Not only that but use this time to continue trying new things. Your age doesn’t determine the activities that you can do. So that skydiving trip you always wanted to do? Do it! Now is as good a time as any.
Increase Positive Self-Talk
As you age, it’s easy for life to make you lose confidence in yourself, your career, or your decisions in life, and it can feel almost impossible to get yourself out of the rut. While it’s okay to feel down every now and then, constantly feeling this way is a problem. Negative self-talk and overall negative energy can increase your stress levels and impact your health in a negative way.
Practicing positive self-talk can help you regain sight of who you are as an individual, all you’ve accomplished, and your goals. Sometimes just quickly repeating to yourself, “I’ve achieved a lot in the last few days, months, or years” is enough to give you some motivation. Also, realize that it’s okay to struggle here and there! Unless you’re omniscient, chances are you’ll need a little guidance—no matter your age. So don’t be afraid to ask for help, utilize training classes, or find a coach.
Now is the time to start loving life the way you deserve. Don’t let ageism and society influence how you feel about yourself. Your age is just a number and doesn’t determine who you are as an individual. Implement these tips this August and remember them any time you start to doubt yourself!