DO YOU CELEBRATE GETTING OLDER?

Do you celebrate getting older?

Do you celebrate getting older? Or do you fear it? Does it upset you or make you happy?

As Caspian came on my birthday we share something special. I have just written an update on his first 18 months of life. The day he turns 18 is the day I become 50 years old. But as his life will be about to begin, will mine come to an halt?

We live in a world that celebrates youth. Fashion focuses on it, the so-called celebrity industry is obsessed with it and the world of beauty offers numerous solutions to staying looking young.

During Copenhagen Fashion Week the Danish designer Nicholas Nybro launched his SS17 collection dedicated to the cool, older women of Scandinavia. Well, probably the world, though he used beautiful well-known older Danish artists on his catwalk. Named More Than a Number and featuring statement tops with Old and Proud and Twice as Old, Twice as Fabulous printed on them, he’s embraced and celebrated the beauty of women over 40.

As an actress I know first hand that you have to fight more than twice as hard for the limited number of parts on offer. But this number drops significantly as you get older. Why is it that we struggle to celebrate something as normal as the passing of time.

As a mum you look in the mirror and you see the sleepless nights taking their told. But hopefully you also see the crowfeet forming around your eyes as a testament to all the smiles your beautiful child is giving you. What if we started celebrating wrinkles as a sign that we have lived, loved and laughed? That we have had amazing experiences, and sometimes been through devastating periods, but still managed to come out the other end, then maybe we would start to see just how beautiful older people really are.

My great-grandmother lived to 99. She didn’t have an easy life by any stretch of the imagination. But she always seemed to approach it with happiness, with ease and she was kind. She was also very wrinkly, but to me she still stands as one of the most beautiful human beings – both inside and out – that I’ve ever met. I know she cared about her appearance and wore makeup more or less until the end.

We shouldn’t be punished for trying to look our best, whatever that means to the individual, but nor should we be for having lived. To paraphrase Tom Petty; if you’re not getting older it means you are dead. So embrace it, make the most of every day you get to live, even if it shows a little. Be proud! Be fabulous! Celebrate!

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73 thoughts on “DO YOU CELEBRATE GETTING OLDER?

  1. I like being in my 40’s actually – older and wiser! I do frown at the wrinkles though, and buy the anti-wrinkle creams. I know ageing is inevitable, but we can always give nature a helping hand, can’t we? #KCACOLS

  2. Great post Nadia and I’m totally with you on this. Not much choice considering I’m approaching 49 but I love a birthday, we all do and I just see the future as a whole new chapter of my life. I have many older friends and many younger too and it makes for a very rich mix of loveliness – irrespective of age #KCACOLS

  3. How lovely that both you and your son will get to celebrate a special birthday on the same day – that could be quite a party! I hated turning 30, then 35, and now, at 38, I know that I’ll probably hate turning 40 too. I think it’s because I don’t feel anywhere near as old as that – in my mind, I’m still in my late twenties. But the one thing I do like about getting older is that I’ve lost a lot of insecurities I had when I was younger. And life experience is definitely great for building confidence too. #KCACOLS

  4. I’ve just started following your Instagram and LOVE it! The one thing I find I’ve started doing as I’ve aged is look at people my own age and think they look older than me – probably because I’ve not looked in a mirror for months and can’t even remember how to apply mascara!

    Grow old and embrace it…I love the silver flecks in hubby’s hair and look forward to wearing matching velcro trainers in our latter years together! #KCACOLS

  5. I didn’t know you are an actress! I think you’re attitude to getting older is perfect, it’s a fantastic outlook. My other half is 13 years older than me and I honestly can’t tell the age difference, age is just a number as they say! Thanks for co-hosting #KCACOLS

  6. What a fantastic post and I agree with every word. I am at the stage that you write about – I am 50 next year and my eldest is already 18 years old. I love this age! Yes i have crows feet but as you say – They were carved from the huge smiles that my gorgeous kids have given me. #KCACOLS

  7. My age used to bother me when I was trying to get pregnant, we had countless problems and several miscarriages and with each passing year it felt like my chances were getting slimmer and slimmer and time was running out. We now have two beautiful children and age is just a number I don’t worry about. I have discovered a couple of gray hairs since my youngest was born and at one time I would have been horrified but they actually don’t bother me at all. We should definitely see our wrinkles as a badge of honour, proof that we have and still are living a full life.
    #KCACOLS

  8. Love this as I turn 30 next month and I’m really stressing about it! I don’t know if its because in my 20’s I fell in love, got engaged, moved house and had Mia but I’m trying to hold on to them for as long as I can! 🙂

    #KCACOLS

  9. I never worried about getting older and I haven’t celebrated my birthday in many many years.
    I’m a believer that age is just a number, the only thing I don’t look forward to is the frailty that old age brings #KCACOLS

  10. We don’t tend to celebrate our birthdays anymore as it’s all about the boys now. I turn 40 in a couple of year – eeeekk! In my head I still think i am in my 20s though! #KCACOLS

  11. I think my actual celebrating is getting a little quieter as the years pass by but I’m not afraid of aging. I’m enjoying getting older in many ways. The choices I make a different to what I would have made 10 years ago and much of that comes from experience, maturity and learning as I go. I wouldn’t change it so it’s hard to be unhappy about it.
    A lovely read!
    #KCACOLS

  12. This is such a lovely way to look at getting older! I have never thought about it that way! My birthday is looming and I do feel I am too old to celebrate anymore, I just don’t know what I am celebrating these days? #KCACOLS

  13. Great post. I turn 36 this month. My parents are buying me a scooter so that I can scoot along the river with my two year old. Why not? Pen x #KCACOLS

  14. ‘But as his life will be about to begin, will mine come to an halt?’ NO! My eldest daughter turns 18 next year and I’ll be 46 going on 47. It’s a cliche, but age really is just a number. No-one should fear getting older. It opens up new thoughts, new opportunities and new outlooks – all really positive stuff. Things just get better 🙂 Alison x #KCACOLS

  15. Completely agree. I turned 30 a few weeks ago and I can’t say it bothered me at all. Although having been a mum since I was 18 I guess I’ve always felt older than I am! #KCACOLS

  16. This was a fascinating read. I don’t know why society is youth oriented. Sure it’s fun but I like the stability that age brings. #KCACOLS

  17. I used to hate getting older, but now I am kind of it is what is and try not to let it bother me too much. Although, I am 37 and my son has just turned 18, that did make me feel old lol x
    #KCACOLS

  18. I’ve noticed the older I get the age as which I consider people old gets greater. I’ll be 26 when my daughter is 18. When I was a kid that seemed ancient but now it’s doesn’t look too bad. Definately young middle-aged as my parents always used to describe themselves as! #KCACOLS

  19. I hated turning 30! I was actually 29 for two years to all my friends then I celebrated turning 31. It didn’t seem quite so bad! Now I’m a mum though it’s made me a more confident person and I’m not worried aabout growing older anymore. -A great post x

    #KCACOLS

  20. I think you should definitely celebrate getting older, you aren’t just celebrating yourself, but everything you have achieved and done in the previous year. A great post to get you thinking! #KCACOLS

  21. I think older people should be celebrated more. Respect for the older generation is common practise across China so I have heard and older people are revered day to day. 40+ can be a hard age sometimes in terms of responsibility as I see women who are often caring for their children and their parents all at once. I would like to see more women 40+ in the media because it reflects society. Not everyone is aged 20 and size 6 but they seem to like to keep assuring us they are! #KCACOLS

  22. At 54, getting older is no fun! Menopause is a bitch! But seriously, I am thankful that I’m still alive and in good health while many people I know are dropping dead one by one like flies.

    #KCACOLS

  23. I’m not a massive fan of celebrating my birthday significantly but that’s not because I’m getting older. I don’t see the point in getting sad about ageing. Getting older is inevitable and the only sad thing would be to get older without actually using your life well. Now I have a little one, I live and enjoy everyday. Well most days… 😉

    #KCACOLS

  24. Great post, I honestly find the older i get, the more I realise I’m not old. When I was 15 I thought 30 was ‘middle-aged’ I now laugh when I realise how wrong I was! #KCACOLS

  25. What a lovely post! I’m not scared or worried of getting old, it’s just a number. Getting old means that I have celebrated a lot in life already. #KCACOLS.

  26. Love the positivity here as it can be so easy to wish your years away when you are having a bad day or to stress about getting older. I think it is important to learn to live in the moment which can be harder than it sounds.

    It is lovely to think that your great-grandmother was happy and lived a long life, it must be amazing to have that many years of memories. x

    #KCACOLS

  27. Wow your grandma reached 99, that’s pretty incredible. I ALWAYS celebrate getting older. I LOVE birthdays!!!!! I just hope I look as good as my mum when I’m her age. She also has a great energy and loves to keep busy (must have got it from her).
    Celebrating our years is also about about celebrating all of our achievements, milestones and what I call “lucky things” (things that make us happy or grateful)
    x Sunita #KCACOLS

  28. My birthday was 2 days ago and I celebrated like there was no Tomoro!
    I think life, living, ageing is fascinating. We should embrace it. As I get older I feel more like myself. Thanks for sharing #KCACOLS

  29. After losing a close friend to cancer a couple of months my whole outlook has changed. From now on I will be celebrating being a year older, as I feel very lucky to be. We have to love the body we have and the life we have. Life should be for living and enjoying and our little lines just show that 🙂 #KCACOLS

  30. You are only as old as you feel, I like to think that I am just getting wiser with age and embracing each new year 🙂 #kcacols

  31. What a great attitude. I will look at the lines on my face in a whole new light. Your great grandmother sounded like a great lady, sure 50 will be only half way there if you’re like her! #KCACOLS

  32. I don’t really celebrate getting older but probably should as I’ll never be this young again! However it’s difficult when being pregnant at 36 I’m classed as a ‘geriatric mother’ of ‘advanced maternal age’!! #KCACOLS

  33. I started just recently fearing it. I am 34 and have four girls and all of the sudden started to feel older….and they hair is sprouting grey….and I cant shed ten pounds just by laying off the bread and booze. Things are changing and I will admit that I am worried. The thought of me getting older is not all vanity based though…if I am getting older, so are my parents…my kids. I want my parents forever and my kids to stay little. I know…kind of a tall order there.

  34. This is a gorgeous post and outlook on growing older. We should embrace who we are becoming. I have stopped counting numbers a long time ago but it does not change the person I am. How lovely that you and your son share a birthday! That is pretty cool! #KCACOLS

  35. Awesome post – love your positive outlook. I’m not normally so excited about getting older, watching the grey hairs move in and the wrinkles in between my eyebrows but you and Tom Petty are right – better to be growing older than the alternative. Thanks for the reminder 🙂 #KCACOLS

  36. I was pregnant when I turned 30 and popped 6 days later so was very distracted. Actually I think I’m still owed a party 😄 I’m a firm believer in age is just a number and don’t really dread getting older, maybe as I creep towards 40 that will change!! #KCACOLS

  37. It’s hard – you feel young but there are times when those around you make you feel old. Off to check out that fashion show. I’m about 100 so I’m Triple as Fabulous…#KCACOLS

  38. I thought turning 30 would be terrible and the end of everything. Turns out things have improved so much since then! It’s just a number, I try and not think about it. Maybe when I’m heading towards 60 I’ll feel a little different.

  39. I really want to celebrate life. To live out loud every day and make every day alive as the best day ever. Having kids makes me want to live longer, healthier and happier and I can see them do the same. The conundrum is, no one gets out of here alive! What to do. Thanks for this great post. #ablogginggoodtime

  40. I totally agree! I turn 35 this week and although I used to hate getting older, I now have a different perspective on it – like you say, if you’re not getting older you’re dead!! Thanks for joining us at #SundayBest, hope to see you again this week! x

  41. I couldn’t agree more, so important to love ourselves and to come to terms with how our face and body changes with the passage of time. We still have the same worth just more wisdom and experience to add to it. Mich x

  42. So true, people treat age as a thing to be dreaded and scared of when it happens to everyone. I’m not bothered by my age at the moment though I’m hoping I stay that way! #ablogginggoodtime

  43. I’m also on the other side of forty and sometimes have to do the math to figure out how old. It doesn’t matter to me at all. These bags under my eyes and grey hair come more from my children than my age. That being said, I went on a three week bender when I turned 30, but that’s another story #sundaybest

  44. I am about to turn 40 and seem to be finding me, but as a lot of comments said I feel more confident but I still feel the same cheeky me as I did when 18. I am going to enjoy getting older and embrace it. Lovely post #sundaybest

  45. Such beautiful piece to read! I will turn 42 this September. I dread it for some other reason. I was homesick and last year I had depression because it reminded me of another year that I cant be with my family. I am scared of feeling the same this year but I am trying my best to focus on good things about birthday =)

    #ablogginggoodtime

    1. Not having family close by myself I can completely relate to that. I hope you find the strength to focus on the good things and have a wonderful birthday!

      Nadia – ScandiMummy x

  46. Oh yes! Just loved this and couldn’t agree more. I think getting older 43 has made me a lot more confident and comfortable in my own skin. Why shouldn’t we celebrate?! Thank you for linking up to #ablogginggoodtime 🎉

  47. Age is a number. I like mine to stay at 18. And even though no-one believes this, I really don’t feel any different to how I did back then. If my ‘laughter lines’ bother people, that’s their problem. Thanks for reminding us to celebrate everyday.
    #brillblogposts
    PS Hope you’ve inherited your great-grandmother’s genes 🙂

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