An excerpt from Design Your Age by Tuck Kamin
We are told we need to change our mindset about aging. So how do you do that? Welcome to Design Your Age. The idea here is to give a real understanding of what course of action you can take to change your world for the better as you age. We know how bad age is presented. Basically older people are portrayed like sweet little ol’ zombies. Or, “Let’s give the little oldy moldy people a big round of applause?” CRAP!!! It’s time to provide proof and evidence of how aging can be something very interesting and it’s time to make fun of those people who say “I’m just tool old.”
Start to face the mirror and tell yourself you’re more. Yes I’ll show you how that is not bunk but a real mind changing, body changing and rock your world reality.
Time for you to elbow your way through that crowded corridor of mind chatter. Imagine that old-fashioned giant department store where you take the elevator up. Powered by new knowledge and your own self-esteem. Go up past sporting goods. Keep going a couple of floors past ladies lingerie. Take control of the elevator buttons. Ride it baby.
It’s time to bring a positive aspect to aging that is real. Hey — it’s time to explore the wonder.
Experiment with new ways of seeing things. Meet people who are moving past the boundaries of aging. Ask questions about aging. Experience new sensory worlds. Discover how to create answers. Smack the status quo right in the nose. Hold on tight and let go at the same time. Be careful with your heart, but don’t hold back. Don’t go back in time; leave time behind.
One thing I have learned in this journey is you, and you alone, can design your age. First, you must escape the imprisoning atmosphere set in place by standards and definitions of how our culture sees physical beauty, physical actions and the discouragement of intellectual growth. We all want to get along. Somewhere deep in our subconscious, we have this phantom we must arrest, telling us, “Conform. Conform. Even if it kills yah.” And for a lot of people it does just that. But you’re not the type to surrender.
Ok, we’ve reached your floor. Welcome to the serious side of the positive aspects of aging. Step right this way please.
TUCK KAMIN
Shaping and creating perceptions has been apart of Tuck Kamin’s career for over 30 years. He is an award winning creative director / strategist in advertising. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Get your copy of DESIGN YOUR AGE at designyourage.com/book/