It’s no secret that the best way to compliment a woman is that she doesn’t look her age. All well and good, but the toughest part for the girl is how to gather those compliments on a regular basis.
There is even a brand of soap that runs a TV commercial of a young girls getting wooed by a bunch of young suitors, only to have dashed hopes when they see a child running up to her and yelling ‘Momma’. The commercial does really hit a raw nerve there doesn’t it? Every woman wishes she could hit the pause button at age 24… nope make that 20, ok we settle at 18!
Unfortunately the passage of time has its way on all living mortals and whether we like it or not, there comes a time when the young rose bud, that ‘Venus incarnate’ is now a withering rose.
Once upon a time ago she gathered compliments and kisses and now all she gathers is wrinkles and aches! Emperor Alexander hunted far and wide for the legendary fountain of youth – Us lesser mortals have to make do with these 5 humble secrets that we present to you. And it has nothing to do with Botox or tummy tucks or face implants.
Secret 1: What you see is what you get!
As a wise old woman atop the hill once said to me – “We are but a sum total of our thoughts”. So, while there are a lot of platitudes being hurled around like – age ain’t anything but a number and other silly goose stuff which really do nothing to make your skin taut again or help your breasts wrest control from gravity.
So remember you have to practice seeing yourself in your mind’s eye as young. The mental picture that you hold of yourself becomes your reality. So it is a bit like programming your brain to reverse the ageing process. Call it meditation if you will, but do it regularly. Feed your mind with positive statements like “Each day I look better, younger and fitter”. Repeat it as often as you can mentally or loudly and then wait for your mind to express what has been impressed upon it. So you have to see it and say it and then feel it to become it!
Secret 2: Exercise your right to remain young.
The right regimen of exercise can help you look young for a long, long time. “Right” of course is the key word here. While we aren’t against lugging weights or swimming 100 lengths if that’s what floats your boat but add a dash of creativity to your regimen and include different types of exercises which can get you maximum benefits. Yoga and Pranayama may sound terribly boring but there is evidence that practitioners of Yoga can retain youth, vigor and energy well into an advanced age. The benefits of Yoga may come about slower than other forms of exercise but rest assured they are permanent. Pranayama or breath control can actually help your mind remain stress-free and help your body get rid of chronic ailments and disease patterns.
Secret 3: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
We just gave away the permanent residence of youth and vigour. Yes, a happy stress free mind always reflects on the owner’s face. This might seem a tad difficult to accomplish but then can give you better results than the amounts that you spend on age-reversing creams and face packs. Make up might conceal your age for a bit but that’s just eyewash isn’t it? So your mental attitude shall determine largely how young you will look. Nobody said life isn’t a right regular shop of horrors every once in a while but if you look at your life as your script, it will give you the strength to play the lead role in it. And boy! The leading lady invariably is good looking, isn’t she? Fear and anxiety can take a terrible toll on your health making your face age and take away the sprightliness of youth.
Secret 4: To look young you got to be boring.
By boring we mean don’t drink too much alcohol, don’t smoke at all, exercise regularly and sleep on time. That should keep you looking young in no time at all. The flip side is that yes, it can be a little boring to tread the straight and narrow path but it’s only right. Smoking can ruin you internally and also give you bad skin tone and poor stamina. Drinking can do worse. Keep life simple and try and experience each moment to the fullest. Sorry for sounding like a post card but it really helps to keep the senses alive by keeping the mind receptive and open. How many of us even bother to look at a beautiful sunset or take a leisure stroll just trying to capture a slice of life from a different angle? No, we are all too busy trying to look young right? Keeping the mind engaged is another way of concealing your age as it reflects immediately in your responses and your body.
Secret 5: Dare to be yourself.
You must have heard this a million times – Be yourself! But truly how many of us dare to peep inside our minds? As we go through life we learn some conditioned ways to lead life. How many of us really bother to question why things are the way you are? So right from how you should dress to what you should be thinking in your mind to even fashion tastes and trends most of our responses are conditioned and cliched. Fastest way to grow old! You live but once so why not peep inside your mind and clear the cobwebs off and see the all-new you? You will discover a young, frolicsome, adventurous new you and that can set the clock back quite like nothing else can. One good thing about being your own best friend – nothing else can get in the way, not even age!
