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In a recent article, I described how it is easy to be ageist in our youth-centric society. Ageism is defined as a “broader set of stereotypes, prejudices, and attitudes (how we think/feel) about people based on their age.” In fact, ageism can be internalized when cultural messages become embedded in how you think about yourself.
Examples of internalized thoughts include: “I can’t learn that at my age,” “younger is prettier,” and “I’m too old to do that.” These thoughts shape your identity and affect what you do, say, or wear. Ageism is the voice in your head that makes you uncomfortable when you notice changes in your body. Ageism is the voice that stops you from trying new things or continuing the hobbies you enjoy because you’re “too old” for them.
But there is a movement in the field of aging to push back on this type of thinking. In fact, research that our beliefs about aging makes a difference on how we live life. Aging doesn’t have to equate to decline. Dr. Levy, author of the book “Breaking the Age Code: How Your Believe About Aging Determine How Long & How Well You Live,” stated that “those with more positive age beliefs were significantly more likely to show improvements in both cognition and walking speed, even after accounting for factors such as age, sex, education, chronic disease, depression, and length of follow-up.”