The 4 Biggest Myths About Aging, Debunked

As women, we’re often warned about aging. We’re told scary stories about how bad it will be, and how we should enjoy our youth while we have it, because it’s all downhill from there. But in my experience, and the experience of the countless women I’ve worked with, there isn’t much truth to those stories. Sure, the factual, biological information we’re taught about menopause holds up, but in terms of the information we’re given about how we should live our lives and feel about ourselves...let’s just say I have some issues with it. 

In several weeks, I’ll be celebrating my 64th birthday, so I thought what better time to debunk some myths about aging? Here are four of the biggest myths about aging that you should never, ever believe. 

1. The Lie That We Decrease In Value

Every day, we’re bombarded with messages that make us believe that we’re worth less because we have lived more. We’re told that we decrease in value as we age, and that essentially we’re invisible. But the truth is, our worth doesn't have a shelf life. Take it from me—I’m almost 64 years old, and I can confidently say that my mission is stronger, my voice is louder, and my contribution is more valuable now than it’s ever been. I now understand what I bring to the table, which I couldn’t say when I was younger. The myth is that we decrease in value, when really, we increase in value. With experience and self-awareness on our side, we have plenty to offer the world—our age doesn’t change that. 

2. The Lie Of Relevance

The Lie of Relevance says that once we turn a certain age, we’re out of date. We’re no longer relevant to what’s current. We aren’t cool or hip anymore. Talk about a complete and utter falsehood! The brand promise of Pure Joy Wellness is literally “be young, strong, and sexy for life”—so you can bet that I’ll never buy into the idea that I’m irrelevant. I will say that staying relevant in our modern world does require some effort and the adoption of a “new school” mentality. For me, that means keeping myself abreast of new technology, innovations, and staying up-to-date on what’s happening in the world. Most of all, I refuse to believe that things are off limits to me because of my age. If you want to be where everyone else is, you have to be forever growing, evolving, and learning.   

3. The Lie Of Impropriety 

The Lie Of Impropriety says that it's not appropriate for me to do “XYZ” at my age, because that isn’t socially acceptable. It’s a lie that we tell ourselves, and are told by society via established (arbitrary) norms. This lie sounds like: “I shouldn’t be jumping rope at 64 because that’s not what’s appropriate for my age.” Long hair, certain clothes like ripped jeans, and other trends and behaviors have been deemed appropriate for younger women and inappropriate for older women. In reality, though, all the things they say you shouldn’t do because of your age...they’re a lie. Who has the right to tell you what to do? Who is to say what you can or can’t wear? Getting older doesn’t mean we have to give up our femininity or sexuality. You have to do what gives you confidence and makes you feel good about yourself, period. 

4. The Lie Of Extenuating Circumstances

Last up: The Lie Of Extenuating Circumstances. It’s the lie that says, “I can’t do that because of my circumstances.” In practice, this sounds like: “I can’t do something because I’m too old. I can’t start a new business or learn something new because of my age. I’ll never be able to learn how to use a computer because that’s what young people do,” etc. etc. We convince ourselves that because we’re older, we simply don’t have the ability to do certain things and we shouldn’t even try. Truthfully, though, our age doesn’t render us incapable. It’s not like we wake up one day and we’re no longer creative, competent, or imaginative. I firmly believe that it’s never too late to reinvent ourselves and pursue whatever sets our heart on fire. We think that our circumstances (aka our age) prevents us from doing what we want, but really, the only person that can hold you back is you. Once you understand that, you have the power to reclaim your life. 

These are just a few of the aging myths we as women should stop believing. The beautiful thing about aging is that the older we get, the more we start to understand our own power. We realize that we define what it means to get older, and no one can or should tell us what to do or who to be. We have the power, and once we recognize it, we can break free from all the barriers that hold us back, and make the second half of our lives the best half. 

Thank you for reading this—I hope you’ll come continue the conversation with myself and the Pure Joy Wellness community in our Private Facebook Group. 

xo, 

Renata