7 Ways to Age Fabulously- Living Your Best Life Edition

So here we go! 

7 Ways to Age Fabulously- Living Your Best Life Edition

1. Visit the beach- often.  One of the many amazing things that we have going for those of us living in the Yucatán, is close proximity to beautiful beaches. The healing sun and sea calls us from many beaches such as Sisal, Chicxculub, Progresso, Chuburna and others. Lounging and relaxing at some of the cool beach clubs or spending peaceful moments with the calming sea can be just the remedy to show your body that aging is overrated/unnecessary and taking it easy on yourself as well as others is rewarding in itself.
2. Mezcal- While I am not promoting alcohol abuse or saying this is a deal breaker I can’t stress enough the healing properties of this spirit. Mezcal-Where did it come from? Which mezcal is the best? I can’t tell you because it is not my forte’ BUT I did catch Covid twice and I’m convinced that I am still here to tell the story because of mezcal’s ancient healing properties. This is what I believe and who am I to question the secrets of an ancient potion made from 50 different varieties of agave along with 400 years of tradition? 
3. Good food is a Must!  I should be ashamed for listing eating good at #3 on my list whilst living in Mexico, but this list is not in order of priority. Yucatán reminds me a lot of Las Vegas as far as the culinary variety and the ever changing food scene here. Every time I turn off the Periferico there is a new restaurant on the calle. It seems like overnight new options appear to tempt my taste buds and challenge my workout goals. I do believe that dieting has its purpose (at the time) but there is a reason when you eat something delicious it can make your soul dance. Of course remaining health conscious of what you eat is key to healthy living but that doesn’t mean you can’t experience it through culinary magic! Having access to amazing cuisine containing fresh ingredients, fresh seafood and prices that keep you financially healthy are a bonus to living and aging fabulously. Let us take a moment to appreciate how fortunate we are to have access to fresh fruit and juices without sacrificing a hand! On a visit to Las Vegas last month a restaurant that I frequent often had fresh orange juice listed on the menu with a price tag of $7 USD. In all fairness, this item may have always been there, but after living my fabulous Yucatacan life seeing this overpriced orange in a glass offended me and set me back 2 hours of aging. I felt a wrinkle grow on my forehead from the frustration.To be able to live somewhere where eating well is not a luxury but a way of life is the fabulous life and that’s what we have here in the Yucatán. Having the option to dine in a gastronomic haven whether you know it or not- is anti-aging.
4. Keep Dancing. On a Ladies night outing with me and a group of my girlfriends ages 30-40s we had the pleasure of being challenged on the dance floor by a beautiful energetic young woman in her 60s.  At first we admired her energy being the oldest on the dance floor; she commanded attention and definitely held her own. She then turned her attention to me and my friends and without using a chalkboard (do they even use those anymore) or speaking verbally she used her body and feet combined with the rhythm of the music to school us on dancing to agelessness. My friends and I were just having fun on the dancefloor before we met her, but she showed us that age is nothing but a number and don’t underestimate a person by their age. She was aging fabulously and she was competitive and had a purpose. She corrected us when our feet weren’t moving fast enough to the drums and when our knees weren’t dipping low enough to her satisfaction. We learned a lot that night on the dance floor like -never go in a dance battle unprepared but most importantly, Diane taught us that youth was a state of mind. 
5. Self Care. Self care is not a product. Self care is a state of mind combined with loving action towards yourself. Self care is getting a massage before you need it. 
6. Love- love like there is no tomorrow.  Why not? Has someone hurt you before?  Well, find a tree to love. Do you not believe in love? I challenge you to try it today. Give love to your friends, plant, pet, stranger, one night stand (temporarily of course). Find love in all things (except your past relationship– move forward) and be thankful. Too often we focus on the negative things and what’s not going right at the moment but let’s reroute our thoughts. In the Yucatán we have many things to love. The free Zoo, the beautiful parks, the amazing architecture, festivals and so much more. Love people and life just because. Watch how seeing the beauty in all things can make your day brighter and your time meaningful. The more you love the more fabulous your life will be!
7. Sex- I know I know.  I debated with myself before ultimately deciding that it will be an injustice to all leaving this list sexless. Yes some will say that sex is unnecessary and you can live a fabulous life without it and of course you can, but do you want to?  The “s” in Fabulous stands for sex. Im not talking about the addictive toxic stuff, I am speaking of the good healthy sex that allows you to look in the mirror with gratitude. Speaking to the women here for a moment, a lot of times our emotions and stress get in the way of us wanting to engage in the act but maybe we can change our perspective and view it differently. Instead of looking at sex as a chore maybe we can view it as a form of Self Care. Ladies especially, take care of your intimacy needs and know that sex shouldnt only be about pleasing. Find pleasure in all that you do and if sex isnt important to you no problema! Just skip to the next paragraph. Whether sex is done with yourself or the object(s) of your desire I am not here to judge, I am only here to spread the scientific research which is; the act of sex (when done correctly and consentually) releases oxytocin and endorphins that help with depression, tension and anxiety. Besides, unlike chocolate, sex is a treat that you can overindulge in without getting a cavity.

PURA VIDA!

To sum it up, living a fabulous life is all about understanding the concept of Pura Vida. You don’t have to have a lot of money and procedures to be rich and live a fabulous life. Be rich in spirit, rich at heart and appreciative. 

Like anywhere you go, life is what you make it.  Ghandi said it best, “you are the change that you want to see”. All of the self care articles in the world can’t change your life if you remain in the Rat Race. Get to a place where you can slow things down a bit and put your priorities into perspective because a lot of our stress and rapid aging stem from not having enough time.  Pura Vida is one of my favorite phrases- “Life is Pure”. Because it’s a simple message with so much truth. Some things in life we have no control over such as not knowing how long we have here on this earth. What we can control is what we do while we are here.  While we are here, enjoy your gift of a life. Go to the beach,order a mezcal and a delicious meal, then go dancing the night away, while laughing and smiling at your life.