At 68, I’ve learned a thing or two about life, and perhaps the most surprising lesson is this: the true secret to aging gracefully has little to do with what you put on your face. I know, I know—I make all-natural soaps and skincare products! But it’s the truth, or at least, part of it. Aging gracefully is about so much more than just topical solutions.
Are you still believing that life slows down in your 60s? It doesn’t have to! Today, I’m sharing five tips that can help you embrace empowered aging with joy and grace, and truly enjoy the journey. Stay with me to the end, because I’m going to share the one thing that makes all the other tips work even better.
If you would like to watch me as I share tips for aging gracefully, please click the video image below. I do apologize for the wind noise. I am still navigating and improving on YouTube, but have since invested in a wireless microphone.
The Biggest Lie About Aging Gracefully: No Miracle Fix
Let’s face it: the biggest lie we’ve been told about aging gracefully is that one product, diet, or pill can fix everything. There is no secret sauce, no miracle cream, lotion, or serum that will make you look 25 again, or magically make all those aches and pains disappear. It just doesn’t work like that.
Stop chasing rainbows and realize there’s no pot of gold at the end. True anti-aging, and truly aging gracefully, is about daily intention, not a quick fix. It’s about consistently focusing on how you nourish your body, how you sleep, and how you manage your stress. I’ve found that when you start there, your skincare works ten times better.
Embrace a Holistic View for Aging Gracefully
You can truly make a difference in your own health by thinking holistically. This means taking care of all of you: your mind, your body, and your spirit. About six or seven years ago, I literally couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs normally. I thought, “Okay, this is how it’s going to be.” But after seeing a massage therapist and a chiropractor, I discovered I had one leg longer than the other due to an old injury. It took time and effort, but after a year, I could go upstairs normally, and I still can today.
More recently, a bone density scan revealed a precursor to osteoporosis in my hip. The prescribed treatment? Calcium, Vitamin D, and walking. While walking with that leg hasn’t been comfortable for years, I’ve learned that weight-bearing exercise is one of the best things for bone density. I also researched vitamins like magnesium and Vitamin K, and discovered that even eating a cup or half a cup of cooked greens daily can help prevent fractures!
By taking steps for my whole body—walking more, improving my diet with calcium, Vitamin K, and magnesium, and getting more sun for Vitamin D—I’m making an effort to be a healthier, happier, and younger-feeling me. To me, holistic living means being in tune with your body and what it needs, both in the moment and consistently. Viewing aging gracefully as a holistic effort makes everything else work better, including what you put on your face.
Nature’s Gifts: Supporting Your Journey to Aging Gracefully
What if the best support for aging gracefully has been in nature all along? Over the last few decades, we’ve embraced more and more synthetic items into our lives, often for ease, speed, or cost. In my own field of soaps and skincare, essential oils are the most important part of creating my products, other than the labor involved. Many switched to synthetic fragrances because they were cheaper and supply was more consistent. But is it really better for us? I don’t believe so.
Over 25 years ago, I decided I would only create products with no synthetic ingredients, like fragrances or chemical preservatives. I’ve kept that promise, and at 68, I feel like my anti-aging face serum is a testament to the benefits of using natural skincare products with essential oils. People are often surprised when they find out I’m almost 70, and while I love that fact, what I love most is how my anti-aging serum makes my skin feel. I use it twice a day, morning and evening, and I truly feel essential oils are just one of nature’s gifts to us.
I urge you to find your own way to embrace Mother Nature. Go outside, feel the sun on your face, take off your shoes and stand in the grass, eat whole foods, drink lots of water. Find a little bit of nature, however you can, that works for you and your life, because nature’s wisdom isn’t just in a bottle—it’s all around us, helping us to age gracefully.
Emotional Well-being: A Key to Aging Gracefully
Here’s a truth no one tells you: emotional health is anti-aging too. Loneliness is one of the biggest threats to our health as we get older. We can do so much from our phones or computers these days, and while convenient, it can lead to isolation if we’re not careful. It’s easy to make excuses for not reaching out to others: “I’m too busy,” “It’s too much effort,” “What will we even talk about?”
But take the time, make the effort. Last week, I drove seven hours to visit my sister. I was really looking forward to it, but at one point, I found myself thinking, “Gosh, I’m not getting everything done. Do I really have time to take a few days off?” But I went, and I was so glad I did. It reinforced our connection, gave me a dose of sisterly love, and helped me step off the little hamster wheel of work.
We don’t flourish as people in a vacuum. The antidote to aging faster, one antidote, is simple human connection. Make the phone call, go to the potluck, hug somebody. We’re not meant to live this life alone, and a little laughter with a friend is its own kind of magical cure for aging gracefully.
The Freedom of Authenticity: Aging Gracefully on Your Own Terms
Another tip for aging gracefully is to celebrate the freedom of no longer being a people-pleaser. What do I mean by that? Basically, you stop caring so much about what other people think. You make peace with what truly matters and let go of the rest. You’ve made it this far, and that’s a beautiful gift.
You can wear what’s comfortable for you without worrying about the current trend. You can go ahead and own your age—I certainly do! You can own up to not knowing something because you’re a baby boomer, not a millennial or Gen X. So take a moment to celebrate. Celebrate what you do know and how you learned it. Celebrate the comfort you’ve earned, as well as the effort you’re still putting in. Decide that you are going to be the best you can be today, and make no apologies for what that is. This is true freedom in aging gracefully.
The Ultimate Secret to Aging Gracefully: Laughter!
And now for my very favorite tip, the one I promised at the beginning that makes everything else work a little bit better. Because you can eat all the kale you want, use the best skincare in the world, and go on all the walks, but if you can’t laugh, what do you have?
In many ways, laughter is truly the best medicine of all, and not just because it’s free. You should laugh as often as you can because it eases stress, gives you energy, and pretty much makes you feel better all over. I love to find little quotes on tea towels, greeting cards, and even magnets that make me laugh. Here’s one I found last week while out shopping with my sister: “The older you get, the uglier you’re willing to go out in public.” And that’s so true! I used to worry about trendy shoes or clothes, and now it’s all about comfort, and I’m totally good with that.
I think that pretty much sums up my philosophy overall: empowered aging is about being comfortable with yourself, so you’re not worried so much about what other people think. Life’s too short to not be able to laugh at yourself. So wear the mismatched socks, go to the grocery store with no makeup. Laughing at yourself and with others is the ultimate sign of freedom and grace. It’s the real secret to staying vibrant no matter what your age is, and truly aging gracefully.
If any of this spoke to you, I’d love to hear what resonated in the comments. And if you’re curious about the anti-aging serum I mentioned, I use it morning and evening. It’s one of those “stranded on a desert island” products—in other words, I couldn’t live without it!
Thanks so much for spending a little time with me today. Remember, aging isn’t something to hide from. It’s a gift. Live it fully, laugh often, and never stop. Take care and talk to you again soon!
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