Time With Sands – Age Assumptions

I’m 66.  I’ve never identified with my generation, but now because I’m older, people feel like they can label me and assume things about me because of my age.

– Kathleen L.

I too have never identified with the traditional generation assignments. Let me assure you that this is not an aberration. You are in fact taking a more evolved approach to authentic ageless living. All of this categorizing of people at different ages, especially as we move into our elder years, is all hype. It’s all contrived – and it’s never been anything more: shared norms and experiences are the most important and long-lasting method for enacting group cohesion, not the number of calendar years we’ve spent on earth.

When we embrace this awareness, it’s up to us whether we fall into this age categorization hype or choose to opt out of it. 

For me and for my teaching, it’s all about reframing and choosing your own ageless way identity. Your skills, contributions, and your essence have evolved and simply ripened. You have more to contribute now than less. We have wisdom and experience to add value, but it starts with us valuing ourselves so much that we cannot be kept in a box. I spent so long realizing that the word ‘seniors’ doesn’t do it – it marginalizes and pushes away. When we box people into something with a certain connotation, we take away their agency and unique spark.

Real liberation comes when you can release the boxes other people put us in and reframe this to how we would see ourselves, that’s not based on some age descriptor or any other descriptor that doesn’t ring true. We must be clear on what our true attributes are and how we would describe ourselves in our essence, gifts, wisdom. 

How do we want to be treated? Will we call people out when they call us “cute” or say something else that is inaccurate or not representative of who we are? Find other people to be around who don’t see your age as anything but an asset, and not as anything that limits or defines you. What I’ve learned in my life is the more I show up fully as I am, and trust in myself as I am, age just disappears. That’s how you can represent yourself, and the labels will fall away.