Other people have always been much more interested in my age than I am – I was even labelled a 'vintage vixen' at 40 - so, when I turn 70 next month, I expect it will be brought up constantly in the press. Despite thinking of age as a phase, rather than a number, I'm reflecting on what my upcoming birthday means to me. For sure, it's very hard to think of this number referring to me. Do I feel 70? No, I don't. Do I feel much younger? No, I don't. Let me explain.
I often hear people say that they still feel 20 or 30, but I can't relate to that at all. In fact, I feel completely different to how I did in my youth. I feel the weight of my experience, the length of the journey I've taken and the many miles I've travelled. It makes me feel seasoned and well-worn. Not young, but also not old.
© InstagramAgeing is all about energy
To me, age is the energy someone exudes. One person's 70 is very different to another person's. Energy is not determined by how long you've been on this planet, but rather how interested you are in things around you, how curious you are and how engaged you remain in the here and now. I would split this energy into two categories:
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1. Attitude
If you think you're old, then old you are. I don't define myself by the number of years I am, but rather by how I feel, and believe this hugely impacts how I've aged. I tend to be very much in the moment and spend a minimal amount of time ruminating about the past. I'm always looking forward.
2. Health
To have youthful energy, you need to feel good. Good health translates to lots of vibrant energy and positivity, giving you the energy to go out and do all the things you want to.
A lifetime of preparation
In a way, I started preparing for turning 70 when I was in my twenties. I became very focused on health and began looking at my diet for the first time, cutting down on the sugar I had grown up eating and becoming as organic as possible. I instinctively felt that remaining healthy would give me a better life, and keeping preventable illnesses at bay was the smart thing to do.
I exercised consistently and took up meditation. It's all stood me in very good stead, although things are a little different these days. Since menopause, my joints have become achier, which is sometimes a nuisance because it impacts what I can do. My tennis and jogging days are firmly behind me, which is a shame, but I have never considered not exercising. No matter what's going on in my body, I'll find something I'm able to do.
Mental fortitude
Stress can seriously undermine your health, and I've found that my body can no longer deal with stress as well as it used to. The resilience and endless ability to run on empty have diminished somewhat, and now it feels important to handle stress from the moment it starts or to prevent it from starting at all. This is one of the huge advantages of being older and more experienced, as I'm able to navigate these things much more strategically and successfully than I did in my youth.
© InstagramKeep busy
On the work front, I'm still going full throttle - which is how I like it. I don't feel a need to slow down in any way. A few years ago, a woman in her 40s asked why I didn't retire or do a lot less work, and I was completely taken aback that anyone would ask me such a thing. Especially as she was a very successful businesswoman herself. To me, this was typical ageist thinking. Of course, if you want to retire or do less, then that's fine, but why let a meaningless number dictate the course of your life?
The last five years have been the busiest of my life. Perhaps it's because I create so much of what I do these days rather than waiting for the next acting gig to come along. With my Ageless website and YouTube channel, writing for HELLO!, voice-over work and acting, I sometimes feel like I'm holding down multiple full-time jobs.
Right now, I'm opening in a theatrical production of Death on the Nile, which will tour around the United Kingdom and Ireland. Trust me, touring is gruelling and not for the faint-hearted. In preparation, I've been eating super healthily and cutting out sugar, grains, alcohol and dairy for the past six weeks. This has given me a boost of energy, and even though I'll be less strict moving forward, I'll remain mindful of how I eat to remain as fit and healthy as possible through the tour.
© InstagramBe open
As I've got older, I've become much more open to things. Time seems so precious, and you just don't know what life will throw at you next. I'm up for new experiences and adventure, and I always say yes to things, both personally and career-wise. This is a marked difference from when I was younger, when I was much more guarded and cautious. I now regret so many of the opportunities that came my way and that I let slip away by saying no. I realise that I had a lot of fear that held me back.
But I won't be giving myself a hard time over it. I remind myself that I made the best decision for me at that time. I said no for a reason, and even if now, I can look back and wish I'd been a little braver, that was a different version of me. The brave new me is built from the efforts of all the younger versions of myself. The challenges, hardships, successes, failures, and emotional ups and downs have made me the stronger and more resilient woman that I am today.
I'm now much more forgiving of myself, and I keep that inner troll in check. I think we all need to give ourselves a break, don't you? I look forward to the next phase of my life and hope it continues to be filled with adventure and new opportunities. You can be sure that I'll be doing everything I can to make that happen.
