Self-confidence plays a key role in all of our lives. Whether we’re overcoming our early adulthood awkwardness, grappling with a midlife crisis, or coping with low self-esteem in old age, our insecurities can follow us throughout all stages of life. For some aging adults, a lack of self-confidence is rooted in many issues ranging from changes in physical appearance to limited independence.
Why is having self-esteem so important in the first place? According to Dr. Ulrich Orth of the University of Basel, “self-esteem is related to better health, less criminal behavior, lower levels of depression, and, overall, greater success in life.” Which is why it’s so important to learn more about how our self-esteem changes as we age.
The self-esteem trajectory – or the rollercoaster of self-confidence that fluctuates throughout our lives – can rise or fall depending on many factors in our lives. Getting positive reinforcement at work, financially securing a life for ourselves and our families, and receiving positive attention from our friends and loved ones can all lead to an improved self-esteem. According to Dr. Orth , these factors contribute to a higher self-esteem in middle-aged men and women compared to the lower self-esteem of older adults.
As people age, it’s important to show them how worthy, appreciated, and beautiful they are every day. Take time to shower them with compliments or show them how special this time in their lives can be. Here are some quotes you can share with an older adult to remind them that their aging experience is worth celebrating.
1. “Aging is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.”
– Betty Friedan
2. “The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.”
– Frank Lloyd Wright
3. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
– Abraham Lincoln
4. “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”
– John Lennon
5. “Aging has a wonderful beauty, and we should have respect for that.”
– Eartha Kitt
6. “Age is just a number. Life and aging are the greatest gifts that we could possibly ever have.”
– Cicely Tyson
7. “The ordinary experiences of aging alter and clarify your view of past, present and future.”
– Edith Pearlman
8. “Aging is just another word for living.”
– Cindy Joseph
9. “Aging is not an option, not for anyone. It is how gracefully we handle the process and how lucky we are, as the process handles us.”
– Cindy McDonal
10. “Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
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