Getting Older At My Own Pace

As I have moved my way through my twenties, I have crossed off some major milestones and life events. First, I graduated from college. I got a real world job not long after that. Then Stephen proposed, we moved in together, and eventually got married. We bought a house and started nesting.

Most recently, as you all know well, we had a baby.

In July I’ll enter my final year as a twenty-something. I’d be lying if I told you I don’t think about it quite often. Entering my thirties, though, isn’t something I’m necessarily bummed about.

It’s perhaps one of the most dreaded birthdays of the women I know, however. Their perception is that youth is over, that age thirty means the whole real adult thing begins, and it’s—well—scary.

I, on the other hand, have seen incredible improvements in my life as I’ve aged, especially in the last decade. With every event that I’ve crossed off my life list, I feel I’ve learned much about myself, my family and friends, and the world around me.

Being a mom is perhaps the most incredible and humbling of these experiences, of course. With Ada, I’m learning something new—good and sometimes bad—about myself every single day.

I think about aging a lot when I run. Starting a running routine was one of the first decisions I made for myself as an autonomous adult, and I imagine it was one of the best decisions I could have made to keep myself younger longer.

Quite frankly, when I started racing, I felt embarrassed to be passed by guys and gals in their sixties and seventies. I should be leaving these older men and women in my dust, I used to think.

Now? I can’t help but see my own athletic potential as the clock continues ticking. And it’s incredibly inspiring to me to think I could be faster and in better shape in the future, even 20 or 30 years down the road. That’s something I never thought could be true when I was younger.

The thing about approaching my thirties (and beyond) is that I still feel young. Vibrant. Energized. Excited about life and the things I have yet to experience. The whole “you are only as old as you feel” thing completely resonates with me. If I am feeling good, my life will be good—no matter if the guy in the checkout line asks for my ID when I buy my favorite six pack. If I’m treating my body and mind well, there are really no limits to what I can accomplish at any age.

Pfizer wants those of us at every stage of the aging process to embrace and celebrate aging. Get Old is their new community, dedicated to discussion and learning about how to maximize our quality of life as we age. Write about your feelings on aging, read about how others feel, and find tips and tools to age in a way that makes aging exciting and fulfilling instead of frightening.

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