My mothers’ words “Stand up straight”
Hello,
It’s a sunny day here in London and without even putting my nose outside I feel in a good mood. Always amazed at how the colour of the sky can have such a profound effect but we’re creatures of the earth shaped by its energy, light and rhythms so today I’m either in tune or just British and grateful.
Outside of baking brownies, I love our health feature on lifestyle habits that age a person.
How to appear a fine example of my true age, or to be blunt how not to look older than I am, is a pastime I naturally dive into most days. I put this down to boosting confidence, fitness, physical strength, general wellbeing and let’s be honest, vanity.
There are so many good points in the article including my personal interest; deportment. Unless you have a physical disability, don’t walk like an old person. My mothers’ words “Stand up straight” ring in my ears constantly and when in interviews and asked for ‘youthful tips’ my answers will always include, pull your shoulders back, apply lip gloss and smile.
If you want to investigate this a little more sit yourself down in a shopping centre where there’s a bustle of people and just watch how they walk. Look for the hunchers that might as well have a sack of coal on their back, then the others standing up straight with a spring in their step perfectly balanced even when pulling suitcases or carrying bags. These people naturally distribute their weight to fit the terrain, look better, safer and toning their core as they move along. Try it yourself stand up, put your shoulders back and feel your core engage, now walk.
Join a platies class or look around for someone who teaches The Alexander Technique of improved posture and movement. Their success rate is astounding especially with people who have back problems who by trying to avoid pain are making the problem worse. I talk about this in my book ‘How to Age Well: The Secrets’ Basically we were born to move this way… and then life happened!
Finally as we celebrate Black History Month may I direct you to a wonderful, insightful, uncomfortable, yet comforting programme I watched on BBC iPlayer. The series is called ‘In My Own Words’ and the episode I’m asking all my friends to watch, is about the life of Scottish Nigerian writer Jackie Kay. Her story from being adopted in the 60’s by Helen and John Kay to fighting childhood racism, becoming politically aware, being lesbian, giving birth to her son and her journey to find her birth parents, is all so inspiring. Jackie has a beautiful, calm, smiley voice you’ll be drawn to. I’ve just ordered her memoir ‘Red Dust Road’ and can’t wait to read it, especially as in the documentary you see old footage of her walking along that very road in Nigeria, while today she is happily back home in Scotland, totally at one with her life and who Jackie Kay is.