Get over getting old

The key to ageing gracefully includes accepting changes, suggest life coaches

Her looks defy her age, but Cher admits she has a hard time getting old. The pop legend recently revealed in an interview that she still hasn’t come to terms with her real age — 70. The singer cum actress said she’s ‘never satisfied’ when she looks inward at herself and if she had to put 70 candles on her cake, it would ‘blow her brains out’. While many of us may find it difficult to relate to the fact that death is inevitable, the insecurity and the inability to be a certain way after a point in time leads to the fear of ageing, suggest life coaches. “When people realise that they will be facing mortality soon, they start fearing the process of ageing. When people are young, they think there is a lot of life left in them and they can still do things. When the reality of getting old hits you, that’s actually when you start living your life,” explains life coach Khyati Birla.

The fear of getting older is propogated through stereotypes and myths feels life coach Chetna Mehrotra. “People and the society, in general, have set certain benchmarks for ageing and when a person doesn’t fulfill those, he or she feels that his/her worth deteriorates,” she says. Ageing is a beautiful process, because every age comes with its share of experiences. “People should stop making sweeping judgments about ageing and steer away from the rules laid by the society. One should develop a deep understanding and accept the fact that the process is inevitable,” says Chetna.

Ageing, according to psychologist Dr. Kashissh Chhabriaa is more of a mental process than physical one. It’s all about what you feed your mind with and the outlook you have towards life and nature. She shares, “I know of a 70-year-old lady who hits the gym regularly, has her supplements, works out and parties harder than many of the youngsters I know. The only tip she has to offer to others is, ‘live in the present and make the most of it’. People live in constant denial about their age because they want to feel young all the time,” she adds.

Khyati suggests some effective ways to overcome the fear of ageing. She says, “One could gain confidence by having some me-time. One should find time to indulge in things that they love — it helps in prolonging life. If I would have to coach anybody through old age, I would definitely ask them to follow the principle of carpe diem—to seize the day and seize every moment. If the mindset is in control, then one’s health is fine and there is no stiffness in the body either. And then, age is indeed just a number.”

Understand that... Not everyone is lucky to have a long life and see grey hair

Accept what you are and enhance your strengths with each passing day

One cannot age gracefully without being in sync with nature or being in the company of good people who motivate you

Have an attitude of gratitude towards life and be thankful for all the blessings -Dr. Kashissh Chhabriaa, Psychologist