#31: Doing 40

Might as well get used to it….

My grandpa turned 96 in June. His mother, my great-grandmother Belle, lived to be 101. So if the Frost genes are working for me, I won’t be so extreme as to say my life is half over…although it’s true that I am now the big 4-0.

Far from making a special point of writing about this occasion, part of me thought I should rather just ignore it, let the moment pass by without a mention, since after all, I truly feel no different. But being in the business of helping people stay youthful, I figured I should at least give it a mention.

I want to be one of those people who truly does not fear aging, but I’m just not. I’m working on it, though, and I’m doing so by keeping up my routines of exercise, skincare, work, sleep, all those usual routines, because that’s what works. I know part of what keeps my grandpa going year after year is getting up and going to the office—which he still does as often as possible to this day. Sticking to his routine and getting out around people keeps him on his game: funny, witty, active, and prepared for the next surprise life might throw at him (usually a new great-grandchild at this point). Routine keeps him young.

But ironically, I know that another surefire way to keep feeling young is to always be reaching outside my routine. So it’s not enough to stay busy, get some rest, and stay busy again. I also need to throw surprises into the equation. A different vacation spot, a girls’ zipline tour (oh—did that already), a new once-a-week class—to take or to teach—it’s time for me to find a few interesting nuggets to throw on my pile of “things to do in my 40th year.” A triathlon? A new yoga class? An adults-only vacation? I must be honest—all of these things make me nervous… So maybe I should do them!

Here’s to 40! Let the good times continue!