‘How does it help you to look younger?’
Happy Thursday! Here’s an anecdote, an exercise and an inspiration.
Anecdote: This is a confession. I color my roots to conceal a few gray patches. Last weekend, I had my roots done while my sons were getting haircuts. My 9-year-old asked, “How does it help you to look younger?” And honestly? I had no good answer. I told him the truth: I like the way my hair looks when all of it is brown. But also, it’s kind of silly that I do this — and silly that our society values looking young as we get older — because aging is a gift. The alternative to aging is an abbreviated lifespan. No one gets to stay young forever.
As young teens, my friend and I once caked our faces with makeup to pass for 17-year-olds at an R-rated movie. (We simply could not wait for the VHS of Julia Roberts in “Sleeping With the Enemy” to hit our local Blockbuster Video.) There was no harm in that, nor is there harm in a little hair dye, IMO. But fighting your age conflicts with the most basic of yogic principles: When you resist reality, you lose. When you try to be at a time other than now, you suffer. The only guarantee in this life is change.
I am a big believer in moving and eating and sleeping to feel better through the years. I love the idea of training for my old lady body. My mother did not get to occupy hers despite a pristine lifestyle. She made it to 66 appearing far younger than her age with no cosmetic intervention. We wondered when she lost her hair during chemo if it would grow back gray. The stubble re-emerging when she died was still brown. She would have reveled in the chance to see it fade.
I’m not ready to go rogue with my roots, even though I know many gorgeous gray-haired women, and silver hair suits my husband well. (He’s 58. I’m 47.) I think everyone has the right to feel confident in their appearance. But my son’s question did get me thinking about the messaging I pass on. How would you answer?
Exercise: Without a doubt, maintaining good posture can help prevent a variety of aches and pains as we age. Perhaps my favorite posture exercise is sit-bone walking, as shown here. It’s also great for low back and pelvic stability. Don’t know where your sit-bones are? Sit on your hands and you’ll find out. :)
Travel the length of a yoga mat and back… or up and down a hallway! I used to do this in the public hall of my apartment building, which prompted some stares.
Inspiration: You know when you’re in a high-stress situation, and you could benefit from stepping aside and taking a few deep breaths? You know when you’re so frustrated that you don’t feel like it? I recently heard a podcast interview with Dr. Aliza Pressman where she recommended washing your hands in cold water to interrupt your fight-or-fight response. She was talking specifically about parenting, but the tip is universally applicable and I think it’s brilliant. That said, I am often stressed in or near the kitchen as my kids and I struggle to get out the door in the mornings, so the sink is right there when I need it.