How to Age Powerfully (Instead of Letting Age Define You)
Let’s be real. Aging’s a bitch.
In 1938, a 76-year-old widow picked up a paintbrush for the first time in her life.
Her name was Grandma Moses, and until that point, her hands had spent decades stitching embroidery, cooking, and tending to the farm.
When arthritis made sewing too painful, she didn't retire to a rocking chair.
She pivoted.
With no formal training and nothing but raw curiosity, she started painting. Simple, nostalgic scenes of rural life that she initially just gave away as gifts.
Then, an art collector spotted them in a local shop and recognised her unique talent. Before long, she was exhibiting internationally, meeting presidents, and seeing her art printed on postage stamps.
By her 80s, she'd become one of America's most celebrated folk artists with thousands of pieces to her name.
She didn't just "stay active”, she completely reinvented herself.
The Truth About Aging That Nobody Talks About
Let’s be real. Aging’s a bitch.
Recovery takes longer. Joints get creakier. Reading menus in dim restaurants becomes an Olympic sport.
But the truth is, while aging is inevitable, decline is optional.
Two of my closest friends are extreme sports enthusiasts. As an example they paraglided into their own wedding!
She's 60, he's in his 70's, and they're still throwing themselves off mountains without a second thought.
Once when I was frozen with terror on the ski slopes of Avoriaz, she looked at me and said something I'll never forget:
"You don't stop doing things because you get old Jo, you get old because you stop doing things."
That wisdom hit me hard. And whilst her pep talk didn't convince me to hurl myself down the nearest black run (or blue, or even green for that matter - I am genuinely terrible on the slopes), those words have stuck with me for years.
They've become my mantra for pushing beyond my comfort zone in other ways.
The fact is - Yes, we all get older. But the real issue isn't age. It's how we respond to it.
Your body and mind don't just shut down because you hit a certain number. They respond to how you treat them, what you expect from them, and whether you believe you're still capable of adventure.
What Happens When We Let Age Define Us
When we surrender to the "I'm too old for this" narrative, something dangerous happens:
We stop pushing ourselves - mentally, physically, and emotionally
We lose our purpose - the projects, goals, and passions that keep life exciting
We get tired - partly due to natural age-related changes, sure, but mostly because we've stopped doing things that energise us
We lose our youthful energy - not because of the number on our birth certificate, but because we let life get too predictable
It may feel like aging engulfs us. But the fact is we let it.
And the scariest part is that it happens slowly, almost unnoticeably. One small decision at a time.
The book we never start.
The trip we never take.
The risk we avoid.
The new thing we tell ourselves we're "too old" to try.
How to Age Powerfully (Instead of Just Getting Older)
Aging may be inevitable for now, but how we age is up to us.
Here's how to keep yourself in motion, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
1. Move Your Body (Because It Can Do More Than You Think)
Did you know there are people running marathons in their 90s?
Meet Betty Jean McHugh - at 90, she set the world record for her age category in the marathon.
Or Yūichirō Miura, who scaled Mount Everest at 80 after breaking his pelvis in a skiing accident.
What do they have in common? They never accepted the idea that aging meant doing less.
Your body adapts to what you ask of it. If you ask for less, it gives less. But if you challenge it, bit by bit, it will rise to meet you.
Start walking more - daily movement makes a huge difference
Try strength training - muscle mass is the real fountain of youth
Swim, stretch, dance, play - anything that’s fun and pushes you out of your comfort zone at the same time!
2. Get Around Younger People (Steal Their Energy)
Ever notice how being around younger, energetic people makes you feel more alive?
That's because energy is contagious.
The best way to avoid 'feeling old' is to keep your world filled with curiosity, ambition, and adventure.
Travel with mixed-age groups - younger travellers push you to try new things
Learn from them - how they use tech, how they see the world, how they move
Mentor someone - you have wisdom, they have fresh perspective. Win-win
3. Do Things That Scare You (Stretch Your Comfort Zone)
The brain loves routine, but it also craves challenge.
If you keep doing the same things, you're reinforcing stagnation.
Take a new route - literally (or figuratively).
Learn a skill - a language, an instrument, a sport.
Book a trip that challenges you - go solo, try a new culture, stay longer than feels comfortable.
In my late 40’s I became a qualified Zumba instructor. I never did anything with it, but I had a great weekend learning the moves, even though I was the oldest one in the room!
Now in my 50’s we’re about to set off on our nomadic journey again and I’m nervous! But I know a few weeks backpacking across South America will reignite my spark of adventure, increase my confidence and sharpen my resilience.
The discomfort is temporary, but the growth is permanent.
4. Believe Your Body Can Do More (Because It Can)
Scientists are starting to prove something that could be a game changer: we may be able to reverse aging.
Not in a sci-fi way, but in real, biological ways.
And while the experts are working on transformative scientific experiments that could increase lifespans to 120+(!), research shows that strength training, fasting, and even just staying engaged with life can slow down or even reverse cellular aging.
But you have to believe it's possible.
What you believe about your body shapes how it functions.
If you expect it to decline, it will.
If you push it to do more, it might surprise you.
5. Stay Inspired (Because This Is Just the Beginning)
If Grandma Moses could become a world-famous artist in her 80s...
If Betty Jean McHugh could run marathons at 90...
If Yūichirō Miura could climb Everest at 80...
What could you do?
The second half of life isn't the end of your story. This is where your next book begins!
To quote Natasha Bedingfield ‘the rest is still unwritten.’
Yes, you might need more recovery time between adventures now.
Yes, you might move a bit slower than you once did.
But that doesn't mean you can't still move mountains – you just might take a different route to the top.
A New Way to Think About Aging
The problem isn't that we age. The problem is that we let the number determine what we believe we can do.
We look at our birth certificate instead of our capabilities.
We focus on what we've lost instead of what we've gained – wisdom, perspective, and the glorious freedom that comes from caring less about what others think.
When I was 30, I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to write this newsletter.
When I was 40, I probably wouldn't have had the courage to travel solo.
Some things actually get better with age.
So, what's something you've secretly wanted to do but told yourself you were "too old" for?
Hit reply and tell me, I'd love to hear your story.
And if you're doubting yourself? This is your sign to take the leap.
Because the truth is, you're not running out of time.
You're just gaining the wisdom to use it better.
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