AGE GRACEFULLY BY ACCEPTING YOURSELF

There are a lot of different anti-wrinkle creams sold, some with "secret" ingredients that sound exotic and hike up the price quite a bit. What's known to work is Retin-A, retinoid wrinkle reducer that hydrates for the eyes, antioxidants and moisture creams. That's pretty much the basics of your full artillery programs. Things you read about movie stars using like bird poop and fetuses, just fall into that secret, but not necessarily effective ingredient category. If you've been good about using sunscreen then you have reason to rejoice. If you haven't, you can still try the retin-A creams. And the thing about cosmetic surgery is that it is being done in epidemic proportions almost forcing you to consider it at some point. In 2007 there were 11.7 million cosmetic procedures done. That's a 457 percent increase since 1997. If everyone around you is having procedures and you're not, it's like you've aged ten years. You're the athlete who's playing by the rules. The others are using appearance-enhancing drugs, you might say. How to make your age recede as an issue? Is your posture good? Are you in good physical shape? Is your hair nicely cut and styled? Are you wearing current clothing? Are your teeth white enough? People will forgive you a lot if the like you. You don't have to work on your appearance so much as blind people to your flaws. Do for others. Look out for others. Give to others. They won't be judging your looks. Accept yourself inside and out. Perhaps the best advice is to find things you're interested in and that you enjoy. Don't spend all of your time fretting in front of the mirror or having work done or recovering from work. Don't waste hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars every year on creams that don't work. Get out and explore new things. Take the focus off of how you look. Accept that you'll never look 25 again. Age in a graceful way. Be interested in what you do and be happy. People complain that once they hit a certain age they are invisible. If you just smile at people when you're talking to them, they're really happy to talk to you. Henry David Thoreau: None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.