Tracey Trottenberg, 41, Los Angeles, CA (from Montreal, Canada)

What comes to mind when I hear the term Age Esteem is feeling good about who you are at whatever age you age.  Esteem for me is feeling proud, and a sense of being in your body and in your essence and just feeling good about you and who you are at whatever age, stage you are now in your life.

My concerns about aging I would say are related to health. I am healthy and I feel good and I recognize that, especially being from Canada and now living in the US, the whole healthcare situation is a concern.  What is that actually going to look like in quality care and access to it, and from a financial standpoint, a quality standpoint.  That is definitely on my mind not just for me, but for others as well.

I would say also just the cost of living healthy and consciously is a concern.  I exercise and I try to eat well and having access to healthy food and good  nutritian and nourishment is important not just for me but for others.  There is such craziness going on in the food industry  with the high cost of the good stuff.

Tracey’s Tips:  For me aging well is so much about the mind, having a healthy mind and having a sense of wherever you are in the journey. Ever since I was a young kid I’ve had a tremendous amount of appreciation for aging and for the process of wisdom and the life experiences that comes with the lines and the greys and the various phases along the journey.  I was very close to my grandparents.  So for me it is about mind set. It is appreciating the journey and making peace with whatever from the past is still stirring those inner demons.  I would say that’s the biggest thing.  Then to live well wherever you are.  There’s a freedom, there’s a wisdom, there’s a peace with a sense of knowing I’m okay.  We were struggling. We have that inner war with those inner demons.  It doesn’t matter what age we are to have that peace and sense of okayness.  That is key to aging and living well.

Tracey Trottenberg is an international speaker in leadership and communication expert.                                           

Photo credit: Bonnie Fatio

Today’s the day when I

Will give the time and trust to try

To cease to dwell upon my age

And feel more like a weather-guage!

Sunny through the hours ahead,

Balmy when I’m off to bed;

Calm and clear and never stormy

Cloudless: that’s the best way for me!

If your nature has redeemed

Then you’re onto Age Esteem!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Jolanda van Tol, 46, Netherlands

AgeEsteem means I believe in age.  I am counting the years until I turn 50.  My life is going much better than I was at 35 or even younger.  And if people say you look 39 it’snot a compliment because I know myself now and I am happier now.  I am really looking forward.  That is why my hair is grey and nothing is going to change that, ever.

My concern with becoming older would be my health, my mobility but we will figure it out when it happens.  Also perhaps my independence if I could not do things for myself anymore and have to have others make decisions for me.  Those are the only things.

Jolanda’s Tips:  Age just happens!  Accept yourself.  Just accept yourself the way you are.  It is the way it is!  You don’t need to try to look younger with all the techniques.  You still can have nice breasts, butt and no wrinkles at 47.  I love old women.  You know Simona Signoret?   She was beautiful before she died.  Try to be happy.  Keep yourself healthy.  Just move around.  Not to exercise in a room, but just walk and bike and move!  Don’t lay down.  Don’t take a nap in the afternoon like my mother did from age 35.  No, just go on and go to bed early, but stay up all day.

Jolanda van Tol, helps people recognize their qualities and make them visible, www.Gloedvol.nl

Photo credit: Paulissimo

If only I could travel more,

If only I weren’t such a bore!

If only I had curly hair,

If only I have more to wear.

If only I were MUCH younger,

And able to curb my hunger!

IFS make rifts with AMs and AREs

Be HAPPY now – you’ve come so far!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

At first we fell for Bonnie

And her beautifell new theme,

Then it befell our bodies

How to practice AgeEsteem.

We fell into a new approach

Of facing fellow peers.

How awfell it is to reproach

The bountifell new years!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

It is time, at this stage

To stop thinking of age !

We should just keep on working

At LIFE and NOT shirking

Our heartfelt endeavor

To always be clever !

So kick up your heels

And see how it feels

To grow younger while older

Filled with wonder and bolder !

You’ll see what it means

To have age esteem.

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Robyn Simon, 67, Blue Mountains of Australia

What is Age Esteem?   If you’re talking about ladies, I think a woman should be confident to be herself at every stage of her life and especially as she matures to have an understanding of how she presents herself to the outside world based on her own belief in herself and not that dictated by fashion, culture or status.  To realize that I can say from my life that the more mature you get, in actual fact in your own outrageous or quiet way the more outrageous you can be.

It’s an interesting word, esteem, and I think sometimes it is hard won.  The situations around us put us down and make us feel small and I think this is where the community of other women can really support us.  I think that Age Esteem can start at any stage of life from the youngest person to the most mature.

My greatest concern is the lack of physical flexibility and strength.  I feel that because I’m taking care of supplementation and diet and I have relatively good genes with aging I’m intending not to lose my flexibility and strength , but it is one of my concerns.  I’ve been crippled with arthritis and I’m looking after my eyesight but I would be very concerned to lose the faculty of eye sight.  My concern would be to lose the facility to have continuing new adventures in life.  I would not like to lose that.  And yes, a practical concern and a very valid one for most women of the world is to have enough finances to maintain my life in a relatively comfortable manner, and especially to have enough finance to move and to travel a bit.  I think that is very important to me.

Robyn’s Tips:  Stay in the present as much as possible and do not dwell in the past.  Do not live with regret mulling over negative things that may have happened in the past.  Keep your mind in the present as much as possible.

I think that Spiritual development and training is very important to well being because if you train your mind not to sweat the small stuff.  Sweating the small stuff is occupying your mind with criticism, hatred, or all things that can pull a person down.

It is very helpful for a woman to be sure that she has younger friends in her life.  I think you need to have a large spectrum in associations.  I actually went back to work in a spa industry that does massages and beauty treatments and facials and most of the young ladies who worked with me were between the ages of 19 and 25.  That’s one of the best things I’ve done.  I also love spending time with younger men.  Some of the greatest actresses in the world made it very clear that you should have young men around you.  Their energy, all they exude, their presence, I think it is helpful and important.  And I think that a lot of European ladies have known that for a long time.

Also diet.  There is a lot of knowledge out there now for how to look after your physical body that’s reasonable.

Robyn Simon, specialist in aromatic medicine, www.mydoterra.com/robynsimon

Ageless is a kindly word,

“She’s Ageless,” one has sometimes heard,

It’s nice for when you often seem

To lose your sense of self esteem.

Cheer up! And don’t think OLD is bad,

Time is what you have, and had.

There’s more to learn, and joy to come,

And ageless ways to have some fun!

Written by Alexandra Taylor for AgeEsteem®

Bernice Seigel, 78,  Holiday, FL, USA

What is Age Esteem?  Being a senior citizen myself I can put myself into that category because I feel fine being of the age I am.  I have a great deal of esteem for myself and for others of my age.  I have a great deal of respect for age and try to deal with my age the best I can.

One of my concerns with aging is that we moved here (Holiday, Florida) late in life two years ago, and I was just hoping that I would be able to fix the house and to be around to enjoy it.   It’s the same thing for my husband who just bought a brand new car.  We have the goal that we are going to live!

My chronological age is almost 79, but I feel as young as the people around me.  I’ve always worked with younger people.  I think that has a great deal to do with it.

Bernice’s Tips:  First of all I’m fortunate enough to have good health.  That is the most important thing.  My husband also is in good health, so we are able to do a lot of things together.  But we also do things separately.  He’s the math and science person and he taught.  I am the humanities and the languages, the fun person as far as that is concerned.

My tip is working with younger people, being with younger people.  I didn’t want to move into an older community because I honestly cannot relate to those people.  I sing in a chorus.  When we are singing for the senior citizens I am so happy to be one on our side of the stage.  I feel for them and I am very thankful.

I keep myself very active.  I’m involved with the chorus.  We go out to lunches.  We go shopping.  I just have a positive attitude toward life.  I’m at an age where I can enjoy it.  I feel fortunate.  We have the house and financially the means to live.  We have lovely children who are very active themselves and encourage my husband and myself to do what we have to do.

Get up and move around.  My parents died at 90 and 91, so my genealogy is pretty good.  But my parents thought when they turned 65 which is retirement age here, that was the end.  My father was more active, but they just waited all that time to die, which is horrible.  They had everything to live for.  They had their own house.  They owed no money.  They stayed in their house.  I was fortunate enough to be able to help them stay in their own home with help until they passed on.

My sister who is 8 1/2 years younger than I am has my same positive attitude.  She is 70 now.  Her husband died 3 years ago and she just got herself a new boyfriend.  He is 78, my age.  She says, “Look, if you can be as great at that age I guess he is also.”  Yes, I think you need a good attitude of mind.

How To Attract Love

Have you ever noticed how wonderful things happen when you least expect them?  The same is true for love.  Love has to find you.

How?  By being your wonderful, authentic self.  It is no good to pretend to be someone else, because you will not attract the right love if you do.  You want to be loved as you, with all your qualities and your faults.  You want to be accepted for who you are.  So just be yourself!  Love yourself.  Get on with life, doing what you love and loving what you do.

When you are happy and enjoying life, you become attractive.  You have an inner glow and excitement that attracts other people to you positively, the kind of people who will appreciate you for who you are.

• Meet new people: practice a sport, volunteer in the community, join a club.
• Participate in activities that you enjoy and that use your talents.
• Be visible.  It is difficult to attract love if no one sees you.
• Mix with people of all ages.
• Encourage, support and mentor others.