What we believe about aging really matters. Perspective is everything, and we’re lucky to have some amazing individuals blazing the trail ahead and alongside us with humor and heart. They show us what living can really look like in every season of life, even if the pace feels a little different each year.
We have more resources than ever before in all areas of aging, wellness, and longevity. And how we talk and feel about growing older is evolving too; our hopes for the future are widening. What we believe ourselves to be capable of as we age is changing. Lyn Slater, Ph.D and Accidental Icon, says that she learned to not let her age define her, even when others want it to. “I understand it’s a choice each day to not let being older get in the way of living the life I want to live.”
“What we believe about aging really matters.”
When we lean into self-compassion for exactly who we are today, we start to notice the beauty of our experiences—how we wear them like a cozy sweater. Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg says it best, “In a sense I feel more beautiful than I have ever felt because my life is full, my children and grandchildren are my pride, and so is the body of my work. I have traveled the world, seen so much beauty in nature, met so many people. I cannot pretend that I am younger than I am, and truly I feel that I have lived so fully that I should be twice my age.”
Von Furstenberg believes that her wrinkles tell stories, and how fun to think our laugh lines are a reflection of our experiences and emotions. Who made you so happy that they contributed to those crinkles around your eyes?
Here are 7 books on aging well that offer fresh perspectives, stories, and advice from voices we admire.
The Woman I Wanted to Be by Diane von Furstenberg
“If you’re a person who smiles a lot, you will have more smile lines. Your wrinkles reflect the roads you have taken; they form the map of your life. My face reflects the wind and sun and rain and dust from the trips I’ve taken. My face carries all my memories. Why should I erase them?”
“One of the most influential, admired, and colorful women of our time: fashion designer and philanthropist Diane von Furstenberg tells the most personal stories from her life, about family, love, beauty and business: It’s so good, you’ll want to take notes.” –People
How To Be Old by Lyn Slater
“I learn how to not let my age define me even when others want it to. I understand it’s a choice each day to not let being older get in the way of living the life I want to live.”
“Here she writes about her time in the spotlight, and how she’s continued to evolve, with the message that it’s never too late to embrace new adventures—regardless of what other people may think (or of what you think they think).” –AARP
Outlive by Peter Attia
“Exercise is by far the most potent longevity “drug.”
“One of the most important books you’ll ever read.” –Steven D. Levitt, New York Times bestselling author of Freakonomics
The XX Brain by Lisa Mosconi
“Moms do not sleep. Moms hover in a state of semi-consciousness, waiting for someone to need something.”
“In The XX Brain, Lisa meticulously guides us in the ways we can both nourish and protect ourselves, body and mind, to ensure our brains remain resilient throughout our lives.” –Maria Shriver
And Bloom: The Art of Aging Unapologetically by Denise Boomkens
“I no longer felt very young but also not old, yet I didn’t belong to the youth in my early forties, but I didn’t feel middle-aged either. I felt I was at a turning point in my life, physically and mentally.”
“The account is dedicated to celebrating the beauty of women over 40 years old and we’re absolutely in love with it. Boomkens shares self-portraits and portraits of other women over 40 in an attempt to show that all women are beautiful and that all women deserve to look and feel their best, no matter their age.” –My Daily Magazine
The Well-Lived Life by Gladys McGarey
“All life needs to move. Life itself is always in movement, so aligning with our life force means that we must always look for the flow within us.”
“Dr. Gladys McGarey is the true mother of holistic medicine, a visionary and pioneer who at the age of 102 is still sharing her wisdom with all of us … I stand witness to her love of people everywhere and have been honored to watch her make the world a better place.” –Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC, President of the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine, Director of Guarneri Integrative Health
Rethink Aging by Reshmi Chakraborty and Nidhi Chawla
“Biological age no longer defines and limits us. After all, why should age prevent us from living the lives we want to?”
“Getting older doesn’t have to mean your life stops! Rethink Ageing brilliantly explores finding new meaning, passion and excitement at an older age.” –Dr Marshall Goldsmith
What steps are you taking to actively live well and age better?
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