4 Honest Reasons I Feel Sexier At 50 Than I Ever Did At 25
Once you find body acceptance, you won't want to give it up.
goodluz | Shutterstock Since turning 50 last year, I've felt surprisingly peaceful about myself and my appearance. I hear women my age complain that they miss being 25. They miss their pre-pregnancy figures, but not me.
Here are 4 honest reasons I feel sexier at 50 than I ever did at 25:
1. I didn't love my 25-year-old body.
I was constantly unhappy with my weight, what size I wore, and how I compared to movie stars and models. I look back and laugh at how much I ate and how relatively thin I was despite my very unhealthy diet. I felt nowhere near sexy.
Is it inevitable that we are never happy with our appearance, no matter how fit and youthful we are? Maybe if I had my 50-year-old mind attached to that younger body, I would like it more, but I doubt it.
I've finally found some body acceptance, and I don't plan on giving that up.
2. This body of mine provided me with a wonderful life so far.
I have three beautiful children who kept residence in this body for 40 weeks each. I was blessed with healthy pregnancies, the ability to breastfeed, and strength enough to schlep three very active babies around until they were ready to walk on their own.
I know many women who haven't been blessed in these ways, and I won't disrespect them or my good fortune by complaining about my aging yet healthy being.
Photo: Lucyluphoto via Shutterstock
3. I'm much less focused on my appearance (which happily opened up a lot of time in my schedule).
Honestly, I think I have a few extra hours a day that used to be spent obsessing over how I looked, what I would wear to the next big event, exercising more than necessary, and thinking about following some low-calorie diet.
I still exercise, and I still manage to put some vegetables in my mouth, I just stopped worrying about it so much. My mind is happily free of counting every calorie or fat gram and has opened up to plotting how women can take over the world. And that's sexy!
4. I finally trust that those who love me do so for a whole lot more than how I look.
My husband hasn't left, my children love me, my friends are as loyal as ever, my parents haven't disowned me and my dog greets me as if I am the most beautiful woman in the world. It appears I have surrounded myself with people who don't much care about my 25-year-old body, so why should I? Oddly enough, I've never felt more comfortable in my skin, and I'm pretty sure that's what people see when they look at me.
So, as you age and if we are lucky, we all do. I recommend you look back to that 25-year-old you, not with regret, but with joy. 25 was wonderful, but so is 50 and beyond. Isn't it time to stop fighting with your appearance and start enjoying your life?
Lisa Kaplin is a psychologist, certified professional life and executive coach, and a highly experienced corporate speaker. She helps people overcome stress and overwhelm to find joy in their personal lives and success and meaning in their professional lives.