What does it mean to age gracefully? More than the pursuit of a youthful appearance or a resigned acceptance of the number of candles on a birthday cake, to age with grace is a way of being. Those who embrace the process of getting older are marked by a grounded sense of self and fewer worries about what other people think.
As psychologist Mark Frazier explains, “To age gracefully, one needs to anticipate the changes that are inevitable … It’s more of a, ‘Yes, I knew this was coming and I know that I’ll negotiate my way through it."
Common traits of those who choose not to resist the aging process include an eternal sense of curiosity, acceptance of change, and a continued interest in personal growth regardless of age. Here are some guiding thoughts about embracing the autumn and winter stages of life with open arms.
I think it's nice to age gracefully. OK, you lose the youth, a certain stamina and dewy glow, but what you gain on the inside as a human being is wonderful: the wisdom, the acceptance, and the peace of mind. It's a fair exchange.Cherie Lunghi
I like the idea of growing old gracefully and full of wrinkles.Natalie Imbruglia
People talk about aging successfully, but I think of it as living gracefully and living to the absolute fullest. I’m about trying new things and learning new things every single day, staying fresh, being interesting and interested, staying curious, staying busy, developing new friendships.Martha Stewart
Growing older gracefully means having a keen curiosity about learning things about the world that you didn’t know yesterday, no matter how many yesterdays you’ve had.Padma Lakshmi
It is a rare and difficult attainment to grow old gracefully and happily.Lydia Marie Child
Part of the challenge of aging gracefully is that you have to continue to find things that are important to you … It’s time to follow where your passions lie.Mark Frazier
The beauty of a woman, with passing years only grows!Audrey Hepburn
I’m not interested in age. People who tell me their age are silly. You’re as old as you feel.Elizabeth Arden
When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age.Victor Hugo
I want to get old gracefully. I want to have good posture, I want to be healthy and be an example to my children.Sting
I think being able to age gracefully is a very important talent.Clint Eastwood
As long as you can see each day as a chance for something new to happen, something you never experienced before, you will stay young.Sarah Louise Delany
It is sad to grow old but nice to ripen.Brigitte Bardot
Aging gracefully is supposed to mean trying not to hide time passing and just looking a wreck. Don’t worry girls, look like a wreck, that’s the way it goes.Jeanne Moreau
Aging is not an option, not for anyone. It is how gracefully we handle the process and how lucky we are, as the process handles us.Cindy McDonald
Featured image credit: Carlo Allegri/ Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images
