The freedom to age as you want is and has always been yours! Often, however, societal pressures can influence or even dictate how we age. Ageism has played a significant role in how we navigate this natural process, but thankfully the ‘pro aging movement’ has arrived to help redefine our choices as to what aging looks like for each of us today.

Ageism Definition and Examples
Let’s face it – aging happens. But how it happens is influenced by institutional, interpersonal, and internalized types of ageism. The World Health Organization defines ageism as "…the stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or oneself based on age." And it is a pervasive presence in our world. While some cultures and religions revere their aging population, many are guilty of discrimination. What seems like innocent laughing at a harmless age-related joke is not without fault. Discrimination in any form does not have a place in today’s enlightened society. Regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, or age, we all deserve to be treated equally and with respect. Ageism creates division and separatism between generations. Younger age groups often think they know more than those who have trod before them and don’t listen to their elders. Similarly, the older generation also has gotten into the habit of disdaining the brashness and frivolity of youth – “they don’t know anything yet,” “Oh, those entitled millennials,” etc. In both instances, each group is denying themselves the other’s valuable experiences, lessons, and insight.

Additionally, anyone forced to retire upon reaching a certain age or bombarded by media messaging has experienced institutional ageism, which refers to the policies and actions of institutions that reinforce ageism. Whether you were passed over for a job or social media has added to your fears of aging, exacerbated by unforgiving camera lenses and distorting selfies, you are not alone! Today, people are rejecting social media ads featuring lithe young models as the primary choice; and baby boomers are rejecting anti-aging campaigns. Self-care as we age begins with looking at our internalized ageism. What we have observed and accepted as fact can be insidious. It dictates how we speak, think, and act towards ourselves. How we perceive ourselves – feeling over the hill, past our prime, or ready to put out to pasture – can hasten aging and dampen mental wellness.

Ashton Applewhite, the author of A Manifesto Against Ageism and a leader of the Expose Ageism movement, put it succinctly when she wrote: “Ageism is prejudice against your future self.” Changing our inner dialog is powerful because it changes our self-image and our attitudes, potentially wiping out that self-defeating critic in our heads! The United Nations is leading the way with the UN Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030) initiative. Uniting academia, civil society, governments, international agencies, professionals, the media, and the private sector to combat ageism. It promotes age-friendly environments and integrated and long-term care to improve older people’s lives. The ultimate noteworthy goal is equality for all age groups to protect each person’s rights across the globe.

Shattering misconceptions, prejudice, and stereotypes about all age groups and endeavoring to provide accurate and relevant information can help dispel ageism. And, as we flip the script, we are encouraged to focus on gratitude for the memories, experiences, and wisdom we’ve acquired as well as being around to be able to share it. This shift can be revitalizing! And we are here to apply that shift in perspective to your self-care, enhancing outer well-being to match your inner positivity and hope for the future. Whichever age bracket we are in, we can all stand to benefit by valuing and acknowledging what other generations have to contribute. While being young certainly has its pluses, so do middle and senior ages! Most importantly, let’s be mindful of how we can help each other. After all, today’s youth will eventually come to fill their elders’ shoes and will want to them to be the most comfortable and long-lasting as possible!

How Old Is Old?
According to the World Health Organization, “By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over.” As a result of technological advancements and cleaner environments, we are living longer, and this is reflected in improved vitality and health. As the average life expectancy has gradually become longer and longer, it is high time we shift our perspective because what was considered middle age and old in the late 20th century no longer applies. While age 65 used to be deemed elderly and 55 was considered old in the 1950s, according to a recent CBS report on mortality rates for males today, 55 is considered “middle-aged,” and 65 is considered “old.” However, “women today transition out of middle age around 65”, with “old” being roughly aged 73” and “very old” now closer to 80. Although there is no real fountain of youth to obliterate aging altogether, scientific progress, healthier lifestyles, biohacking, and results-driven skincare products are improving vitality and health and minimizing the effects of aging. Keeping the idea that age is just a number at the forefront of our minds, we CAN choose positive aging.

What Is An Example of Positive Aging?
Positive aging is about having an attitude of positivity towards the aging process, complete with maintaining a healthy, active, and engaged lifestyle. Feeling good about yourself as you age, accepting the changes that come with aging, and maintaining humor about it all can go a long way!

What Is Pro Aging?
Pro aging vs. anti-aging? We think there is no contest. Pro-aging seeks to counteract the negative perceptions about aging that have become inserted into our language, images, and off-hand jokes. Rather than seeking to erase your life from your face, pro-aging means caring for and respecting yourself through the natural course of aging. Instead of trying to stop aging, it includes making healthy lifestyle choices that foster healthy aging. It changes the language of aging by eliminating words and phrases like “anti-aging” and “fight aging” and moving towards pro-aging terms like aging gracefully, honest aging, and healthy aging. As a skincare brand, we are committed to using language that shifts towards positive aging messaging as we provide the best skin care products to support your journey. Pro-aging is about feeling in control and satisfied within yourself towards your aging, unlike the negative powerlessness surrounding anti-aging.

Perceptions on Aging Impact Health
Our perceptions of aging can be self-fulfilling prophecies. Telling yourself you are old, that you look old, or feel old can negatively affect you on a biological, psychological, and behavioral level. A recent study conducted at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that people with the highest satisfaction regarding aging lowered their risk of developing conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke and reduced their risk of dying over a four-year period from any cause by 43%, unlike those who were dissatisfied! Harvard and Yale University researchers conducted a study of 660 people aged 50 – 80 for almost 30 years and discovered that those with a positive view towards their own aging accompanied by feelings of happiness and usefulness lived 7.5 years longer, on average than the other participants.

This powerful example shows how our mindset affects us on a physical level. In contrast, they found that a negative mindset about age slowed recovery and affected mental health. Beliefs that diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancer are inevitable also impact longevity as those who feel a sense of impending doom fail to practice preventative measures which can help enhance wellness and extend life. This internalized ageism has been tied to increases in unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive alcohol intake, or poor diets reported to cause a $63 billion healthcare toll on our economy. Adopting a pro-aging attitude fosters positive, healthy feelings of being in control and even has the power to improve immunity! As your mindset about growing older changes and you develop a more positive attitude about aging, don’t be surprised when you feel a renewed spring in your step or see a sparkle in your eye. We can channel our energies toward actively participating in the stream of life.

Age How You Like
The Expose Ageism website has coined the tagline “Anti-aging is anti-living,” and we couldn’t agree more!  Ask yourself what your perceptions are about aging. And be honest with yourself! The idea that aging doesn’t necessarily need to be prevented may seem foreign, especially hearing it from a skincare brand that offers creams and serums to do just that. Fortunately, you can choose how you want to care for yourself as you age. Rather than staring at yourself in the mirror to see how much you have aged, embracing aging gracefully is a much more self-loving, positive approach. You can be your authentic self by rocking grey hair and letting your wrinkles be if you want. If you choose to color your hair or get injectables and other cosmetic procedures to preserve your youth, that is your choice as well! You, and you alone, are in charge of your appearance. Just make sure that whatever you do, you do it because it is YOUR choice rather than succumbing to societal, familial, or peer pressure.

We Support YOU!
As a holistic, natural skin care company, we support you either way. We want to be your aging ally if you'll let us! If you want a long, fulfilling life and don’t want to waste a bit of time staring at your reflection in the mirror, okay. The only thing you need to do skincare-wise to ensure you can stick around longer is to keep your skin clean, moisturized, and protected with a broader protection reef safe sunscreen as you go out to seize the day.

We’re also here if you decide to soften fine lines or gently slow the progression of deeper wrinkles to look & feel your best into your twilight years. There is no shame in wanting to look better longer, we just encourage everyone to embrace their stage of life. Remember that you earned each mark or furrow. This writer thought she was inspired when she coined the term “chronologically challenged” as the antidote to the word aging, but now recognizes that chronologically experienced is much more positive…and accurate!

What is your aging self-prophecy? Really look at how you envision your golden years. If you imagine yourself in a rocker, looking confused and debilitated, it is time to get a new pair of glasses to change your view. Believing you can feel and look vital longer is an excellent place to start living younger today. Remembering that your worth extends beyond retirement may be tougher said than done in a society built around achievement or a winner-takes-all mindset but imagine all the positive aspects of aging! You can be present and appreciate the world around you without having to punch a clock or miss festivities to finish that work project. With more time on your hands, you can connect more deeply with people, travel the world, grow your own vegetables, read that book that’s been collecting dust, or do absolutely nothing if you choose! You can reminisce with a fresh eye. Certainly, you’ve had some hardships, but you’ve also had some phenomenal recoveries and triumphs. And the fact that you are on the other side is worthy of celebration! It helps to remember: Aging is a gift, as not everyone makes it to the later years.

How to Age Gracefully
Does anybody remember laughter? You bet we do – and we have the lines and grey hair to show for it! To help you age gracefully, consider these signs like merit badges earned in the boy scouts, making you who you are today. Try naming each fine line, wrinkle, or sun spot as you apply your moisturizing eye cream or skin care cream, and thank your skin for caring for you all these years. Recall that first fine line you saw after a late-night rock concert or the next one earned when cramming to finish that school paper. Flash forward to the ones gained from staying up all hours caring for your newborn, to the deeper furrows acquired when they stayed out all night, and you were worried sick. How about the hard-earned wrinkles gained from putting that massive presentation together to land the ultimate client? Whatever form your life has taken, each line serves as a symbol that you made it through.

Treat Yourself Well!
Reward yourself with the Myoxy-Caviar Timeless Repair Collection, which has everything your skin needs to not let time define you; let yourself enjoy a little luxury. You earned it, after all! Should aging begin to feel heavy, let the Lumafirm Repair Cream - Lift & Glow and Lumafirm Eye Contour - Lift & Glow lighten your load. Or does your skin need a friendly reminder of how to behave youthfully again? Then, the plant based Stem Cells Phyto-Elite Collection will gently guide your complexion as you face toward the future. If your years of too much fun in the sun are catching up with you, and you’d like to save the memories for your mind, not your face, the Micro-Retinol Essential Collection is a skin-friendly way to regain a smoother complexion.

Maximize Your Way to Healthy Skin
Want to maximize results for your healthiest skin ever? Boost skin health with an in-depth consultation for your ideal products and professional Pevonia treatments. For the best positive aging experience, ask for our Lumafirm Lift & Glow/Freeze-Dried Facial Treatment, Peel & Recapture Micro-Retinol Essential Treatment, Myoxy-Caviar Mask Treatment, or Stem Cells Phyto-Elite Facial Treatment. Visit Find A Spa for an oasis near you offering Pevonia!