Wrinkles don’t make you look old, it’s negative conditioning since birth. We have been conditioned to grow old. We’re continually asked how old we are. This is chronological age—and it’s for the bureaucrats, not for you. Your biological age is what counts. Our biological age is at least 20 years younger than our chronological age. The negative conditioning comments continue. “You’re too old to do that.” “I’m too old. I can’t do that anymore.” These types of comments, repeated over and over, create old age through negative conditioning. Wrinkles have nothing to do with it.
Let’s look at the causes of looking old and replace them with positive conditioning.
Attitude. If you think and feel old, you’re going to be old. The antidote to this is simple: love life. It’s filled with awe, excitement, creativity, interesting people, and exotic places. Be engaged in life, not buried in the mobile device world. Know what you want, what you’re doing, and where you’re going at all times. Have meaning in your life, outside of yourself. Engage in positive social interaction, and when you’re with people, always make it about them.
Posture. Stand and sit tall. When standing or sitting, gently tightened your upper back muscles between the shoulder blades and let your shoulders fall naturally. This straightens your back and brings your chest forward, giving you a strong appearance. Tuck in your chin in and align the back of your head with your straightened back. This posture sends positive signals to your brain, providing a sense of strength and confidence. Condition and maintain your abdominal and back core muscles through daily exercise. Rounded shoulders make people look old. Head down is weak and sends negative signals to your brain of weakness and fear. Use your computer screen at eye level. Slouching above a keyboard can become permanent, as can shoulders and a neck that sag.
Back straight, chin in, and head up not only gives you positive energy and strength, it also allows you to radiate this out to the world around you.
Slow walking. Walk tall with a steady gait while maintaining your back straight, shoulders falling naturally, chin in, and head up. This comes naturally if you’re engaged in life and have a purpose. For an extra burst of energy, walk briskly at a pace that’s 25 percent faster than your normal speed.
Complaining. Blaming others. Criticizing. Making excuses. These four traits should be eliminated from your conversation. There is no need to point out an issue or problem that’s out of your control. This repeats a negative story that helps no one, especially you. Blame and criticism do not solve problems. They’re simply a rehashing of negative energy—and on top of it, they make other people feel bad as well. In this same vein, making excuses causes negative energy and provides no solutions. People who know their own true self are in charge. There is no reason for complaining, blaming, criticizing, or making excuses.
Pessimism. Having a positive outlook will create energy and confidence. Optimism can be learned and applied to your thinking. Here’s a tip: Stop the first negative thought so it doesn’t lead to the second negative thought and subsequently the repeating of a negative story in your mind. Make a conscious decision to be grateful, have compassion, and see the good in all things.
Sad face. Smile. This sends a positive feeling to the brain and also telegraphs positivity to those who see you.
Age spots. Brown age spots on the face and the top of the hands trigger a conditioned response: thoughts of old age. These can add two decades to a person’s sense of his or her age. They can be removed with creams and other techniques; consult a dermatologist.
Take action. Abandon the feeling of being old. Develop a positive attitude and a tall posture. Eliminate complaining, criticizing, blaming, and making excuses. Choose optimism; it’s healthy. Smile. Here are some additional things you can do to fight off the feeling of old age: make a habit of health practices that include eight hours of sleep, one hour of continual exercise, eating foods that will not harm you, learning something new every day, spending time in alpha-brainwave meditation, practicing gratitude, having compassion, and making an effort at self-healing. Incorporating these things into your routine will enable you to live an extraordinary life with energy, meaning, success, and enjoyment.
Gary R. Epler, M.D. in Boston
Best-selling author of "Fuel for Life: Level-10 Energy" and "Peak Performance and Leadership"
