Age Ain't Nothing But A Number... Or Is It?

We’ve all heard of the age-old sayin’ that goes “age ain’t nothing but a number”. It’s a popular notion that conveys a person’s biological age does not define their capabilities or worth. It promotes the view that a person’s age should not be the sole factor in how they are perceived or treated, and that anyone can be physically / mentally active, capable, and youthful well into their later years. So today I thought about the validity of this sentiment. What are some things in life that truly have no age-restrictions, where age has no limitations on one’s ability to achieve or obtain things – verses those that do have constraints and one’s age does matter, for better or worse?

Here are instances where age is truly “just a number”:

1. Career change – Did you know that the average American switches his / her career about 5-8 times? The world has changed, and people can no longer expect to settle into ONE career, ONE role, from 22 all the way to 65! That said, there is no rule or law that restricts switching careers – in fact, people of all ages do it, at any given time, for any reason! The point is, your life isn’t going to follow some pre-ordained path, and careers are no exception; it is perfectly acceptable (and understandable) for people to constantly reinvent themselves and seek different career endeavors to adapt to this rapidly changing / evolving world, no matter how old they are!

2. Pursuing academic interests – Going to college. Getting a degree. Increasing your academic caliber. These things are truly ageless and timeless. Thanks to our rapidly evolving world, college education ain’t just for fresh-faced twentysomethings anymore; it’s an endeavor that can be obtained by anyone at any age. Moreover, you don’t need to feel self-conscious to sit in a classroom full of kids half-your-age, thanks to the plethora of non-traditional learning methods like online and long-distance classes designed for adults! So you wanna finally get that PHD that you’ve been putting off for decades? Go get’ em!!

3. Learning a new skill – be it picking up the guitar. Or salsa. Or chess. Or a foreign language. Learning something new and acquiring new talents have no age limits. Yes, some skills might take longer to learn as you get older, since the natural stamina of our brain and bodies tend to decline with age. However, as long as you have the inclination and the aptitude to pick something up, you are never old to start a new hobby or talent. In fact, learning something new is a way to keep your mind and body young and stimulated, so you will experience cognitive and physical decline at a much slower pace!

4. Finding love – Ok call me a hopeless romantic on this one. But I truly believe that you can find love at any age. Yes, the big waves may have passed in your middle-ages and beyond, since the 20s and the 30s are the ‘prime’ decades for dating, hooking up, getting knocked up, getting married, getting divorced-then-dating again, but there is truly no limitations when it comes to finding a soulmate. We tend to THINK that once you’re past 40s, our choices for love becomes much more limited, however falling in love is serendipitous – meaning it happens when you least expect it. Discovering love isn’t something that operates on a time-machine, nor does it come with an expiration date. So if you’re willing to prepare yourself, on all levels, don’t give up hope on becoming a love magnet!

And here are instances where age does make a difference.

1. Age disparity in romantic relationships – ok this one is highly debatable and opinions will vary wildly. While finding love may be ageless, certain factors could pose as a constraint in forming and maintaining romantic relationships. One of them is age gap. Now I can hear the throngs of naysayers refuting “You’re wrong! Age gap doesn’t matter as long as between two consenting adults!” Hey, I ain’t saying you’re wrong, and if it worked out for you and your lover, good for you! I’m more of a date-your-age kind of gal, as I believe biological compatibility is crucial in long-term relationships. Besides, numerous studies have shown that pairs last the longest when two people grow together, get wrinkly together, and die together!

2. Athletic endeavors – let’s face it; a 45 year old at-his-fittest ain’t the same level as a 25 year old at-his-fittest. Likewise, it would be unwise for an over-the-hill boxer to step in the ring against an amateur champion – he’ll get his ass kicked! It’s a no-brainer that our physicality and stamina will naturally decline with age. Roughly speaking, humans tend to be the most physically robust in their 20s through early 30s, which explains why athletes retire at a much earlier age than the general population. When it comes to athleticism, the younger person (almost always) trumps the older person!

3. World of fashion and beauty – Modeling. Pageantry. Strutting on the runway. Appearing in a Calvin Klein ad. These endeavors are heavily targeted towards (mostly) late-teens to twentysomethings. There’s a reason why you don’t see middle-aged women strutting on fashion shows in bikinis – ‘cause it’s easier for models to be stick-thin when they are younger - less saggy skin, less stretch marks, and less curves. Moreover, fashion and beauty industries come with a shelf life; once you reach a certain age, you are considered “too old”, and will be instantly replaced with younger, fresher faces!

4. Bodily consumption – binging on junk food at 20 is less detrimental than, say, binging on junk food at 40. Your body tends to metabolize, digest, replenish, and repair faster when younger, which means less risk of weight gain and health issues that can accumulate as we get up there in age. There is a reason why one should become more mindful about food and diet as our bodies get older. Same goes for consumption of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs – anything we consume will have a greater impact as we get older, because metabolism and other bodily systems will gradually slow down with age!

5. Financially risky behavior – the younger you are, the more you can afford to take risks. Youth is the time to experiment with everything – from schools to careers to investments to that wacky startup venture you’ve dreamt of. Why? Because if some of them don’t quite pan out (aka they FAIL), it won’t damage your financial situation all that much since you have longer timeline to recover from those frivolous missteps! As one gets older, their window for error gets smaller, and just like bodily consumption – you’ll need to be more vigilant taking risks with money. Hopefully, by the time you need to “play it safe”, you’ve wised up and become more judicious with your finances!