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Yes,
you can do what we therapists call "self-talk."
After a while you will find you get convinced
that you should not accept what society says about
people your age — whether that age is 65 of 75
or even 115!
Yes,
society has us labeled "old" and "senior"
and "elderly" and "golden-agers."
WHAT
WE ARE IS JUST "OLDER" PEOPLE! We are not
"used-up" and incapable as the words above make
us sound. We have SO much to be able to receive
and to give — even if we happen to have some shortcomings
due to medical problems.. One good thing we probably
have is something younger people have not yet
learned — how to work around our shortcomings,
how to adjust to change and "make lemonade out
of lemons," accomplish and enjoy despite
having less than perfect eyesight, hearing, mobility,
or ability to eat all the foods we used to eat,
etc.
THE
PROBLEM IS WE ACCEPT THE LABELS AND THE ATTITUDE
THAT WE HAVE BECOME "LESS." The words above
need to go! Let’s fight allowing people to
refer to us as "elderly," "old," etc. Just tell
them to refer to you as "older." If others
use judgmental words about our age it is easy
to accept that judgment about ourselves.
Most
of you probably find laughable, as I do, that
AARP sends it’s literature to 50 year olds. They
contribute to our beliefs about 50 year olds being
old. We are living in a different time. Fifty-year
olds are the mainstream of our society. They may
run just a little slower in those marathons they
run than they did 30 years ago but they are for
the most part the most gorgeous and handsome,
sexy, productive, admirable people around. They
are like the 30-year olds of the last generation
(despite the fact that their hair may be greying).
SO
I IMPLORE YOU — DON’T ACCEPT THE LABELS. Words
can create attitudes, feelings and behaviors;
if you accept words that diminish you it can become
a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are a vital,
important person! What’s in a name? A LOT!!!
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