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Wrinkles, loose skin, age spots, grey hair, random hairs in random places, body stiffness…welcome to aging! I’m going to guess you felt an immediate aversion to at least one of these aspects of aging….am I right? Aging isn’t just a biological process, but a cultural one. Aging and death have a huge impact on our experience of getting older depending on what culture you live in. In a large majority of the Eastern world, the aging process is celebrated and respected. Sadly, here in the Western world, youth is fetishized and the elderly are almost discarded from society. Rather than caring for our elders, we move them to nursing homes or hospitals…which makes aging feel like a shameful experience.   We treat physical signs of aging with fear and negativity. It is this resistant mindset to aging that prevents us from living a full life. There has been a 131% increase in cosmetic procedures between 2000 to 2020, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons!  Does anyone else see anything alarming about that?? Rather than allowing us to embrace all phases of life from youth through old age, youth is glorify to such an extend that it prevents us from cherishing the aging process and the wisdom that comes with it. Why are we so ashamed of something that is a natural part of being alive? Everything that lives ages – that is a face of life. Why do we feel we need to prevent this from happening? What would happen if we spent our time and energy accepting life and living fully as we age, rather than resisting it?  There is so much to learn from cultures, past and present, that embrace the aging process and value their elders. If we can see the beauty in aging, we will see how limited we have been living. Learning and living doesn’t stop after midlife. Embrace wrinkles, grey hairs and age spots…maybe they are here to teach of something more meaning about life?  It’s possible to learn to accept and love ourselves at all ages. If you’re looking for simple, natural ways to age with grace, add as many of these habits as possible into your daily life.   10 Tips to Aging Gracefully 1. Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night 2. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and smoking 3. Drink plenty of water  4. Avoid processed foods & excess sugar 5. Reduce stress – stress can speed up aging! 6. Sleep on back – supports your neck and spine, and reduces wrinkles 7. Avoid or significantly reduce animal products 8. Exercise daily 9. Stay connected to friends and loved ones 10. Do what you love often We are born perfect exactly as we are…that’s the beauty of all living thing. May we all begin to let go of our masks and cultural conditioning and start embracing every phase of life with love and curiosity.