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How young are you?

How come we always ask «How old are you?» 

At our recent Toastmasters election meeting, one of the candidates introduced themselves and said “I am 42 years young”. I loved this introduction – I thought it was brilliant. By changing one word, he immediately sounded younger.

Had he said “I am 42 years old”, I wouldn’t have batted an eyelid but I’m someone that loves these small differences that jolt me out of the norm. It’s like a cheekiness that is awakened in me and I love it. It’s amazing how words have the power to do this! 

Recently I’ve been hearing people speak about ageism, where people feel they don’t have as many opportunities as when they were younger. Or they are afraid they cannot get a job after a certain age. It’s important to become aware of the conscious and unconscious biases we may hold. Since some are unconscious, it may take some questioning and awareness.

Usually, if we start questioning, we can start to see a rounder picture. With age usually comes experience, stability, different needs, and wants. I’m lucky that I have good role models in my parents, I know it’s never too late to start a new hobby or a new business. My father started karate in his 50s and quickly became a black belt. My parents started a business as they turned 70 just because they wanted to.

Let’s not let age stand in our way. How young are you?

PS: If you have beliefs that are hard for you to shift and are holding you back, book a free discovery call with me to discuss.