We’re constantly told to be on the lookout for “negative” signs of aging, but are rarely encouraged to be aware of its many positive aspects. Contrary to what you might believe, aging beautifully doesn’t revolve around looking young for as long as possible, but rather encompasses many of the traits and signs listed below.
1. Things that used to really bother or irritate you no longer do.
You may have been very quick to get angry or offended by certain things when you were younger, but now those same things have little effect on you. Not only do you no longer see the point of getting riled up over them, but you understand where they’re coming from.
As a result, you float through life’s daily foibles with a greater sense of humor. You understand that everyone is going through their own learning processes, and their negative behaviors will become invaluable life lessons later on.
2. You’re able to see beauty and positivity all around you.
Numerous published health studies show that there’s a noted link between positivity and good health in middle-aged and older adults. Focusing on all the good things around us instead of the negative or challenging aspects keeps our spirits up and our health strong and steady.
Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never truly grows old. Aging is inevitable, but adopting and maintaining a positive mindset allows us to focus on all the beautiful things around us and can keep us from feeling down about the process.
3. You no longer feel a need to follow the crowd.
Peer pressure and societal expectations often push younger people to emulate what everyone else is doing when it comes to clothing styles, behaviors, personal pursuits, and so on. Once we’ve hit midlife, however, we prioritize creative individualism instead. We drop the act and start becoming our authentic selves.
This newfound freedom and self-confidence encourage you to live life on your own terms, rather than following the crowd. You’ll wear clothes that you love and pursue interests that others may consider “eccentric” without worrying what people might think or say. There are many things you stop caring about as you get older, and other people’s judgment is one of them.
4. You don’t see physical signs of aging as flaws you need to fight.
Although you may see countless daily advertisements about dyes that cover greys, botox, fillers, and other age “rejuvenators”, you don’t feel a need to get them in order to feel good about your physical appearance.
Instead, you see your silver hairs and smile lines as marks of a life well-lived, rather than features to be ashamed of. You take care of your body as best you can, and don’t lament that you don’t look the same now as you did 30 years ago: you aren’t that person anymore, so why would you?
5. You’ve let go (or are in the process of letting go) of old hurts and grudges.
One of the most wonderful blessings that comes with aging is that of a widened perspective. Old hurts and grudges hurt a lot less when we can view the entire situation at a distance, with a better understanding of intention, and personal damage. You begin to realize that it’s time to let go of things that no longer serve you.
To quote Leo Tolstoy: “To understand everything is to forgive everything”. Holding onto old grudges is like clutching a burning coal and being mad that others aren’t burning. As soon as that coal is dropped, the healing process begins instantly.
6. You accept, support, and celebrate others’ lifestyles, even if they’re very different from your own.
Since you have a significant amount of life experience under your belt, you have firsthand experience of what it’s like to be judged or condemned for living a life that other people don’t understand, or approve of.
As you age, you accept and encourage other people to live their own authentic lives, without judgment or any desire to influence them in a different direction. There is no “right” way to live a life, and whatever makes people feel happy and fulfilled is something to be celebrated.
7. Strangers smile at you (and animals love you).
You’ve likely experienced situations in which someone’s energy made you immediately uncomfortable, even if their outward appearance wasn’t off-putting. Those same people are often avoided by children and animals because they give off an unsettling vibe.
If strangers smile at you when you’re out and about (especially children), and animals naturally gravitate towards you, that indicates you’re aging beautifully and are radiating a type of light that others can sense easily. Bitter, angry people don’t exude that light: only beautiful, loving souls do.
8. You laugh easily and often.
Over the years, you’ve learned not to take things too seriously, and you know that everything is temporary. As such, you find joy and amusement all around you and laugh sincerely when something tickles you.
Essentially, you see life’s absurdities as entertainment and take every opportunity to celebrate joy and silliness. Furthermore, if you felt pressure to lower your voice and remain unheard in your younger years, you’ve let go of that constriction with great enthusiasm and laugh heartily and sincerely instead. You radiate good vibes, and people love being around you as a result.
9. Your body is seen as your friend, not a potential enemy to dominate.
Societal pressures to look a certain way lead most people to see their bodies as enemies. Emphasis is placed on their shortcomings instead of their strengths, and folks abuse their bodies to force them into different shapes, sizes, and hues.
If you’re aging beautifully, however, you see your body as your friend rather than your enemy. You nourish it with food that makes it feel best, stop tormenting it with harsh chemicals, and let it rest when it needs to — all with immense gratitude for all it does for you.
10. You celebrate little things as often as possible.
One of the greatest aspects of aging is no longer taking anything for granted. You begin to really enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Every cup of coffee is an epiphany, served in your best china, and you treat yourself to fun and beautiful things all the time, instead of just for special occasions.
You’ve grown to realize that every day is a special occasion and should be treated as such rather than taken for granted. Each present moment is an opportunity to celebrate, so you don’t waste any of them.
11. You’re braver than you were when you were younger.
If you were prone to anxiety and “what if?” thinking when you were younger, this has likely given way to greater courage and self-confidence as you’ve aged. You’ve lived long enough to realize that you can handle anything life throws at you, considering that your track record for getting through difficulty is 100% so far.
Additionally, you’re more likely to take risks now that you might have avoided in your youth, such as traveling overseas by yourself or getting full-sleeve tattoos because you love them.
12. The only person’s approval that matters is your own.
Most of us sought external validation in our youth and held back from doing things we truly wanted because we didn’t want to incur anyone’s condemnation or wrath. This might have involved our choices in careers or life partners, or subjects as subtle as hobbies and entertainment choices.
Aging beautifully involves recognizing that nobody else’s approval matters and dropping your need for external validation. Only you get to determine what is and isn’t appropriate for you. If others don’t like it, that’s fine: they get to live life on their own terms as well.
