Feel Fabulous In Your Fifties and Beyond.
Thirty years ago, if someone had told me that I’d become a yoga teacher in my fifties, I would have simply laughed. I was not the woman I am now, lacking in confidence and needing approval.
I am happier and healthier now than I have ever been. Yoga and the lifestyle it brings plays an integral part in this and having spent many years practicing, I’m proud to have qualified as a yoga teacher in 2019 at the age of 52.
Five Fundamentals of Feeling Fabulous.
- Focus – Concentrate on what’s important to you, take some time to assess and really work out what makes you tick. Prioritise: analyse how you spend your time, declutter, make time to be alone and spend quality time with people who really matter to you. Learn something new. Eat healthily and of course come to your yoga mat regularly.
- Fulfilment – It’s all too easy to get caught up with what we don’t have rather than being satisfied with our lot and the good things in our lives. As I’ve matured, I’ve realised that fulfilment is more to do with our attitude in life rather than our actual situation. Try not to dwell on the things that you’re not so happy with and be grateful for the good. When you are less stressed, you will also look and feel younger.
- Face your Fears – Fear is a basic emotion designed to help us in times of danger. When faced with a challenging situation, we often avoid the new and unknown and this can hold us back, constricting us rather than allowing us to be expansive and make good decisions. Taking the leap and moving out of our comfort zone to follow our dreams creates freedom within us allowing us to take on more with less fear. In many situations we can re-frame fear and call it excitement. This is a trick I used often when I first started teaching. I would literally tell myself ‘don’t be scared, be excited!’
- Faith – Believe in yourself. Have faith in your capabilities, use your life experience to overcome self-doubt and find the confidence to do things. This will inevitably leave you with more belief and deepen the trust in yourself. Your instinct is a completely individual feeling and comes from within. How many times has your gut feeling been correct? Know that it’s completely fine to be you. You are unique. There’s only one amazing you.
- Fun – Don’t forget to have fun! Life is so much lighter if you laugh and are spontaneous. It also lowers your blood pressure and releases endorphins. A smile is so much more infectious than a frown and there’s no age limit to having fun both on and off your yoga mat.
Being in my 50’s is fantastic, with all my previous experiences to draw on. I enjoy reminiscing, am excited to welcome future decades with open arms but never forget to stop and be grateful for right now.
Angela Whimpenny, Yoga Teacher based in Eastbourne
(Images by @sarahcarmodyphotographyuk)
