Be an anti-ager.

What is the alternative?

I will give you one hint: death.

From the moment we are born we are on one singular path.

This is the path of aging.

It begins once we are at day zero. Our parents do the best they can with the tools they have and celebrate the milestones that are seemingly ordinary.

We eat solid foods. We walk. We talk. We learn to read. We make a friend. We learn to dance, play sports, navigate complex relationships, graduate high school, and ultimately, fumble through our years determining what gives us joy. At most junctures in our life, our accomplishments are celebrated by the cast and crew we surround ourselves with. And then, we repeat this journey by having our own children and the generational cycle of rebirth is extended.

Throughout my extensive conversations with women and men who are navigating the aging process, their wisdom is inevitable. Longing for a bit more time to create a life they want seems to slip through their fingers due to the aging process.

It brings us face to face with our mortality. Aging is a reflection in the mirror that frightens us. The slow cadence of crow's feet, sagging jowls, and achy joints become distractors that bring us closer to the inevitable final act of our life on earth.

The debilitating component of aging leads a staunch few to surgical reinvention, spiritual quests, and a cabinet full of retinol products that promise a fountain of youth. The beauty industry is banking on our spiral towards self-loathing as we age. This booming beauty industry promise joy in a bottle of lotion. They promise us quick fixes to reclaim our vigor. Viagra, Botox, Juvederm, and Oil of Olay are banking on the fact that there is a huge, and sadly lost demographic that not only wants to look younger but to live forever.

The wealthiest humans on earth, like Jeff Besos, are betting on the idea of immortality. According to El Pais, the secretive startup, Altos Labs finds that the anti-aging industry is ready to crush it. El Pais finds that Altos Labs is recruiting top scientists to lead the anti-aging revolution. Lead scientist, Manuel Serrano did reflect on the idea of rejuvenation in said, “The most important change that has occurred in this field is to begin to consider aging as a disease, as something that can be manipulated. In mice it has been reversed, it has been possible to make them live longer, even to make an old mouse young again. That was science fiction 10 years ago,” he said at the time. “I imagine that if it can be done in a mouse it can be done in humans. It will be more difficult, but I think there will be anti-aging therapies in the relatively near future, in 10, 20, or 30 years. I doubt that will make us immortal, but we’re heading in that direction.”

I have nothing against creams and promises of youth found at the bottom of a jar. I remember my grandmother handing me a tin of the dense and the restorative Nivea. I would lather it on after a day at the beach with her. I would watch her massage the thick, white paste onto her wrinkled legs and spotted face. She would apply Nivea all over her body, look in the mirror, pinch her cheeks, and walk away. She was satisfied with herself. She walked proudly in the armor she had accumulated during her escape from the Nazi regime, her toil as she marked her spot on American soil, and her arduous task of raising two sons in a different country. Oma, found her fountain of youth, in lapping up romance novels, walking in the brisk, early morning air, and preparing meals for her family.

The idea of anti-aging is a new phenomenon that my grandmother was not privy to. She found joy in the simplistic exhalations of life.

Lesson One:

Own your power. Own your intelligence and avoid the scam. Be vigilant. Do your due diligence. When you are promised the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, beware.

If you are promised the fountain of youth. Remember there is no such thing.

Our wants as aging humans:

• We all want to be rejuvenated.

• We all want our brains to work like they did when they were 25.

• We all want skin elasticity.

• We all want mental clarity.

• We all want physical agility

• We all want skin hydration.

• We all want deep connections and relationships.

• We all want a purpose to foster our meaning on earth.

Consumers are being preyed upon by their weaknesses.

Example: You feel fat= Loose 10lbs in one week

Example: You need your business to grow = Grow your business on Instagram. 100000 followers guaranteed.

Example: I am lonely= Date me, I am a beautiful person, with a good job and like long walks on the beach

As we age, we can become vulnerable to predators that prey upon this weakness. It is ok to be vulnerable, and in fact, vulnerability is a key factor in leadership. However, when we are vulnerable and stupid, this opens the doors to promises unkept. Instead of chasing shiny objects or chasing your youth, take your power back.

I am, simply, a woman who is scared of the inevitable. Every morning I wake up I am shocked at my reflection in the mirror. I am shocked at how I hobble out of bed. I am shocked at my wrinkles, my thinning hair, and my ability to recall things that happened yesterday. And I am on a mission to reverse the aging process with minimal intervention. Sounds too good to be true? Maybe it is. However, I know what works for me and this is what I share with you.

Aging is a gift we have that reminds us that we are put on this earth for a reason. This is how you fight through the white noise and celebrate the gift of your age.

1. Find your purpose. You have heard the tale as old as time: The guy who works for a company for 50 years and retires. He receives his gold watch and then dies a week later. He has lost his purpose. Having a purpose in your life is more powerful than diet and exercise combined. Think about that.

2. Wash your face. Creating a nighttime ritual that rids your body of toxins and prepares you for 8 hours of peaceful slumber is a key component of longevity. Slathering up your face with soap is a vehicle for self-care and a nod to exfoliating dead skin cells away and preparing for a fresh face tomorrow.

3. Read. Your brain is hungry for new information. When we expand our thoughts through reading, conversations, and experiences the neuroplasticity of our brain structure expands.

4. Move your body. There is nothing more detrimental to our existence that a sedentary lifestyle. Make movement a part of your routine. Do yoga. Walk. Run. Stretch.

5. Engage in meaningful relationships. Whatever you love, whatever drives your passion make a concerted effort to connect. Connection is the key to a purpose-driven life. Connection is what drives our daily actions.

6. Brush your teeth. The health of your mouth is in direct correlation with your overall health. See your dentist every 6 months.

7. Find a physician you trust. : Create a bond with your family physician. Be fastidious with your appointments and reach out when you have questions. Creating a relationship with a trusted physician is foundational to your overall wellness.

8. Don't ignore your mental health: Life gets hard and don't be afraid to ask for help.

9. When all else fails: try Botox: I say this with cheeky sincerity. If you are struggling through the rocky challenges of life. Think outside of the box. Figure out what gives you joy. Follow the breadcrumbs of joy. We all are met with days that seem joyless. Sometimes a new pair of shoes or a random conversation with a stranger reignite our energy. And, sometimes, just sometimes, Botox will be the medicine that reinvigorates our soul.