Aging gracefully

Aging is the most natural thing in the world. When you are young, time seems to drag and as you age, time seems to fly. One morning you wake up and discover that you are no longer young. What does it mean to age gracefully? It means knowing who you are and how you want to look. It means taking gentle measures to make sure that your outside is a good match for the person inside.

A large part of the aging process is mental. Accepting the fact that aging is a part of life, is the hardest part. Not recognizing the face you see in the mirror, is the reality. Everyone reacts differently to the inevitable changes. You don't, however, have to sit back and just take it. The world has changed and with it, there have been great advancements in the war on aging.

Plastic surgery has come a long way. The beauty of aging gracefully is that with a little nip here and a little tuck there, no one ever has to know that you have given nature some assistance. It has become acceptable, almost expected, that when you start to age you are going to put up some resistance. How resistant you want to be, only you can answer.

No matter what you chose to do to assist nature, in order to age gracefully you need to accept the fact that you are aging. That will involve changes in how you dress. As we age our weight may redistribute to places it never was before. Gravity is the enemy and things will begin to go south.

No matter how much work you have done on your face, necks and décolletage tend to show signs of aging. It might be time to resist the plunging neckline and go with one that covers the skin that doesn't look as young as it once did. This can be very stylish and flattering.

Dress appropriately for your age. Find your own style, celebrate the fact that you are a survivor. You want to look stylish and aux current without trying to dress like a teen or pre-teen. Nothing looks less graceful than trying to dress 20, 30 or even 40 years younger than you are. It really is all about color and fit. If you haven't had a color assessment recently, get one. You may be surprised by the changes age has made in the palette that looks best on you.

For the men the same holds true. If your clothes look like your teenage sons, you might want to reconsider how you are dressing. Dressing for your age makes you look younger, not older.

As you age, less is better in the makeup department and hair colors should go lighter. Dark colors can appear harsh. Go with makeup that doesn't emphasize wrinkles, the light mineral types are good choices. There are wonderful moisturizers and toners that can help keep your skin as youthful as possible. Exfoliate frequently and help those new skin cells regenerate as quickly as possible. Stay out of the sun. This is one thing that doesn't change with age, the sun is the enemy of youthful skin.

Keeping an active lifestyle and adopting a healthy diet will help in the process. Find new hobbies, make new friends, embrace your age, it is after all just a state of mind. You are as young as you feel and if you are confident that you are looking your best, age is just a number. There is no secret to aging gracefully. Aging is just another phase of life to be embraced.