Why Age Will Always Be Just A Number

Published April 14, 2020 12:34AM

Happiness. Is it just me, or has it been the buzziest idea of the past decade? As I’ve transitioned from my mid-twenties to my mid-thirties, I’ve witnessed an endless parade of books, podcasts, documentaries, college courses—all touting the notion of happiness as an aspirational, almost-mystical ideal. Something to chase and admire in others (“Didn’t you hear, Finland is the happiest country in the world!”) and maybe, just maybe, catch a glimpse of someday.

But I am rejecting all of that. While researchers commonly point to a U curve that suggests we’re happiest in our early and later years, I tend to believe that happiness is more of a decision than a result. Sure, we can’t always choose our circumstances, but we can choose our thoughts about them. With help from researchers and wellness experts, writer Aimee Heckel explores all the ways happiness is available right now, no matter your age.

Age is, after all, a tricky construct. Just ask the five young yoga teachers featured in our Next Gen Yogis package. They’re coming of age as global crises unfold and are already working on solutions to very grown-up problems. Blissful ignorance is no longer a privilege of youth (and for many of us, it never was).

In this issue, we take a hard look at the stereotypes surrounding age and (hope-fully) provide a blueprint by way of practices for forgetting the number and living fiercely in the moment.

With that in mind, we are excited to announce the launch of our small-group, yoga-and-meditation travel experiences, which, once coronavirus passes, will focus on connection—with one another and with the great outdoors. Join us later this year in Sedona or the Smoky Mountains to tap into the wild and wise energy of these otherworldly places. If 74-year-old Mangayamma Yaramati can give birth to twins (she did last year in India) and 17-year-old Greta Thunberg can captivate leaders of nations (not to mention the rest of us), what other proof do we need that the time is now?

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