How YOUNG are you FEELING today? How YOUNG are you ACTING today?
We believe that identifying and exploring your Vital Age is a very important and life changing activity! Throughout our lives, we remember certain time periods with such vividness and intensity that they actually serve as life empowering passages. There are usually several of these life changing and affirming periods over the course of our lives. The Vital Age is a specific time period in which we can look back and instantly FEEL the vibrancy, hope, freedom, creativity, fulfillment, expansiveness and optimism that we were enjoying. For most of us, this time period is linked to our youth. Somewhere between the ages of 17-30, most of us experience a window of time in which we are smiling to the future in most of the major areas of our lives!
As time goes by, the Culturally Conforming Conveyor Belt encourages us to leave our past and our youth behind! Those who cling to youth tend to be on the receiving end of a vast amount of judgement, criticism and at times- ostracism. Even though we live in a very “youth-centric” culture, as we age, the subliminal messages are that we should not look back or step off of the conveyor belt. The messages being projected are that “youth is for the young” and once we pass “prime”, it isn’t appropriate for us to act, look or feel younger. People may think that we are struggling with being an adult. For some, this may be true. However, for most of us, being penalized for seeking the benefits of our youth can work against us. Identifying your Vital Age doesn’t mean that you are trying to be Peter Pan! It doesn’t mean that you want to leave your job, your family and the lives you have built. It just means that you are reaching back to that very optimistic and “all knowing” version of yourself and bringing forward that spirit of risk taking and adventure that existed before getting bogged down by the responsibilities of life.
Is it possible to walk around thinking, acting and feeling like a 21 year old? YES! Even better if you are utilizing all of the wisdom, success, finances and skills you have acquired throughout the years. Think in terms of being an alchemist- you get the best version of yourself! The wise and accomplished version along with the energetic, optimistic and vibrant version from your youth! When is the last time you felt a sense of freedom and play? When is the last time you felt attractive and desirable? When is the last time you felt that time was on your side?
Just for today-give yourself permission to explore a new and improved version of the person you have come to know as you! Imagine yourself walking with a spring in your step, whistling a happy tune, feeling like a shiny new penny and smiling to your future. Imagine yourself as that 17 -21- 26- year old venturing out with a back pack full of hopes and dreams! Ask yourself, if I were that 21 year old version of myself, would I be compromising my dreams? Would I be driving this car? Would I be staying in this job? Would I buy this house? Would I be planning this vacation?
We believe that the best is yet to come! We also believe that you may have left some really wonderful aspects of yourself behind!
Here is today’s Vital Reset ReMINDer:
“That’s the real trouble with the world, too many people grow up.”
Walt Disney
My very best wishes for an exceptional day and to your long and vital life.