60 Pieces of Advice from Older Women to Younger Women

One day, Margaret Manning decided to quit her job and create Sixty and Me, a community for women over 60 years old.

Her idea was to open the minds of many women, making them question the purpose and meaning of their lives. Specifically, she saw that doubts habitually presented themselves in women around 30 years old.

For this reason, Margaret invited every member of her growing community to share one piece of advice with women half their age. With their honest, profound advice, they reflected on what they wished they had known three decades earlier, when they began their journeys towards older age.

Here, we reveal sixty wise pieces of advice they shared:

1. Remember that you only have one life; this is not a dress rehearsal.

2. Try to be positive and look on the bright side of every experience.

3. Live in the here and now.

4. Live every day of your life fully because you don’t know what’s waiting for you just around the corner.

5. Remember that life can change in an instant.

6. Love every age of your life, and don’t be afraid of passing through any of them, because each and every one of them are magical.

7. Learn to live in the moment. If you can manage to do this when you’re young, it will help you when you’re 60.

8. Life is to short to be worrying about something that will happen in the future. Live today.

9. Go outside and enjoy nature!

10. Find a hobby or a job that makes you experience the unique feelings that come with every phase of life.

11. Be yourself. Age with dignity.

12. Concentrate on aging in a positive way, not on avoiding getting older.

13. Accept the changes your body and mind go through as you get older.

14. Always be honest with yourself. It’s a slow learning process, but it’s worth it.

15. Hold on to your memories, but don’t be too hard on yourself.

16. Virginia Woolf was right; a woman needs a room to herself and $500.

17. Forget about the stereotypes that society has about aging.

18. Don’t worry about aging. Worry about boredom.

19. Age is only a number, it doesn’t define who you are.

20. Time will pass whether you want it to or not, so start to live!

21. Never stop inspiring yourself.

22. Life simply and save. Exercise, take care of yourself, read, and travel.

23. Buy vintage clothing, it will always be fashionable.

24. Don’t waste money on shoes; men don’t notice your feet.

25. Don’t fill your life with useless people or things.

26. Be yourself; shine with your own light. Show that you are present, genuine, aware and alive in every moment.

27. Don’t obsess over wrinkles. When they start to appear on your face, look at them as a map of your life.

28. Live with passion and love, with open eyes and an open heart. Put simply, be happy.

29. Live in the present; don’t worry about aging. The best is yet to come.

30. Treasure the little things in life; don’t complicate things.

31. Love and respect your spouse and your children the same way you would want them to love and respect you.

32. Give your love freely and unconditionally.

33. Have children when you want to have them; there is no specific key moment for that.

34. Show empathy towards yourself and those around you.

35. Take a lot of pictures, you will be happy you did so when your loved ones are no longer here.

36. Learn to forgive at a young age.

37. Forget your anger and let gratitude and happiness be the law of your life.

38. Have an intimate circle of female friends. It’s essential!

39. Value your family. They will be there for you when others aren’t. They will support you throughout your entire journey through life.

40. Never go to sleep angry with yourself or anyone else.

41. Tell your partner, your friends, and your family that you love them every day.

42. At 30 you become a woman. Appreciate your beauty.

43. Don’t waste time worrying about things you can’t change; change the things you can change.

44. If you’re in a bad relationship, leave. You can’t change anyone.

45. Take care of your skin! And smile often.

46. Trust your instincts and never speak ill of yourself.

47. Be kind to yourself. Don’t think about things you can’t control. If something makes you feel bad, get it out of your life.

48. Learn to laugh at yourself. Don’t be so serious!

49. Take some time for yourself every day; laugh and smile every moment.

50. Simply be yourself. Don’t strive for perfection.

51. If you have children, love them, but don’t try to be a perfect mother.

52. Let your child be your teacher.

53. Be a warrior; learn to use your own resources and be self-sufficient.

54. Don’t let fear guide you.

55. Never stop learning and strengthening your mind, body, and spirit.

56. Be thankful every day, even on bad days. There is always a lesson to learn.

57. Accept the positive aspects of getting older, like the fact that you have less responsibilities and more freedom.

58. Many battles become simpler with age.

59. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too old to do something! Or too young.

60. Don’t be afraid. When you get old, you will feel okay. Life and nature prepare you for every phase of life.

Original source: Huffington Post // Author: Margaret Manning

Images courtesy of Ruslan Guzov and natalia_maroz