The Superpower Project

The Fountain of Youth

Blaise Hunter | Communications Expert

Everywhere you look, you see messaging about anti-aging. Our world is on a quest to defy nature and time capsule our mortal bodies, but I have discovered something interesting in observing human behaviour. Our words don’t match our actions. When we grow older, we tend to say NO a lot more and express how we are too old for that but then we do everything physically possible to resist aging. It’s like we haven’t figured out the key to staying young has more to do with a curious mind and a passionate heart and less about wrinkles and muffin tops.

The Superpower Project is about highlighting various challenges or “kryptonites” facing people and helping us neutralize their effect on us.

A deadly kyrptonite facing us these days is we are retiring from vitality instead of just our careers.

I recently took part in a wellness expo and was able to promote my nonprofit organization and bring awareness to reproductive health rights. There were a range of people from various age groups attending the convention, but I was shocked at the response from the older adults. Every time I chatted with people 50 and up, they didn’t want to hear about my cause but just laughed and said they are too old to learn about reproductive health. At first, I smiled but after the tenth person responded this way, it made me really contemplate their reactions. I understand fertility issues might not apply to people over the childbearing age, but we all have reproductive parts and the point of my advocacy is to bring awareness, education, and connection. Maybe their children or grandchildren are going through infertility and loss.

This isn’t just a younger generation issue, it’s a humanity one.

But what really got me was the common mentality with older adults, especially the women. We should be caring about what is affecting our own. Establishing consideration for the younger and older generations is a must. Matriarchs have a duty and a responsibility to nurture and mentor. There seems to be a disconnect with the various generations. We don’t respect, we don’t think anyone can teach us anything, nor do we get curious with one another and just seek to understand. We demonstrate apathy or just want to give a piece of our minds. That isn’t true youth. To stay young, is to be current and that means being the bridge that connects to younger groups. We can’t just focus on the physical part of the quest for youth. We must tap into the heart of what makes us alive an inquisitive spirit.

Adolescence isn’t immature and adulthood isn’t out of touch. We need both to thrive.

You are never too old to learn something new, or too young to learn too much.”

~ Suzy Kassem

We can’t get the wisdom without the age, and we can’t have the exuberance without the carefreeness of a child. Youth is something that exists in our eyes. It’s a way of being present in the world, of interacting with it, and consciously participating in it. Our energy and mindset dictate our age, not our bodies. Let’s have our words and enthusiasm for humankind keep us young rather than our skin. This preserves a liveliness and interest in our young that regenerates itself.

If we want to stay youthful, we don’t need to go under the knife or disguise our crow’s feet. We just need to maintain three attributes:

1. Play

(Otherwise known as that thing we used to do in our youth.)

Play means embodying the fun factor. It’s about being in the moment and going with the flow. Somewhere on the path to “growing up” and retiring we forget that. We get stagnant and set in our ways and routines. Play is expressing joy and creates pathways for us to say yes to new experiences, concepts, and interactions.

What does it mean to play with something?

• To engage in a light-hearted way.

• To discover and explore without judgment.

• Do you do anything fun with your time? When is the last time you discovered or did something new? When’s the last time you belly-laughed? If you’re drawing a blank, it’s time to embrace the childlike play in your life. Fun is the process. It has nothing to do with the outcome. Play. Discover. Explore. Never, ever take yourself too seriously.

2. Desire

Desire has become a dirty word in our society. Desire and pleasure are safe. They are the lifeblood of youth. Desire is the energy that propels us forward. It makes us want to stick around to see what happens next. Nurture your desires. They serve as the canon which continuously launches you into life. When you wake up in the morning ask yourself: How can I satisfy one of my own desires, passions, or curiosities today? Even if you have many commitments and tasks to do, make sure that you do at least one thing everyday that you consciously chose to do because you enjoy it. It doesn’t need to be earth shattering. Just being open to genuinely enjoying your life is key.

3. Flexibility

Flexibility is our ability to adapt to change. Youthfulness requires you to be able to bend with life. Case in point: Have you ever seen a baby fall over? Their soft little bodies are usually okay since they don’t

absorb the impact, they embrace it. Their fluidity is their saving grace. The older we get, the more rigid we tend to become in both our thoughts, opinions, and bodies. Tension stiffens and leads to breakage. Like a senior who refuses to change, rigidity about who and what you are leaves no room for exploration. It means you’re old.

When you’re no longer willing to leap blindly into the abyss of self-realization, if you’ve closed the doors on new possibilities, your life slowly starts to suffocate from lack of fresh energy and motivation. Rigidity is a direct result of fear and presumption. Apprehension, resistance, and speculation narrow your choices; they close you off to new possibilities and vitality. The more you indulge in these emotions, the less chance you have of nourishing yourself with new adventures.

Take a risk every now and again. Step out of your box, even if it’s just a little step. Youthfulness is about vitality and spirit. Stop saying no and say yes. Youth isn’t found in the skin. It’s an attitude.

We’re taught to listen to our elders because they have a wealth of knowledge and experiences to share which is true. But if we are continually on the search for the foundation of youth, we should go to the source for the secret. Studies have shown that when older adults connect with younger

people and their insights, they can cultivate a sense of purpose, discover new learning opportunities, become more active, and be inspired. We can all learn from each other but let’s challenge ourselves to be curious and open no matter who is the audience. Don’t ever shy away from a chance to learn, engage, connect, show compassion, or have fun. That’s a fountain I want to drink from every day. To join the Heroine Movement, visit www.blaisehunter.com.