Age

I went through one of those periods recently where I was consumed with negative thoughts on the ageing process. I hated the obsessive thoughts that plagued me when alone - hating my crows feet, fore head lines, flabby thighs and wrist wrinkles (yes really!). It is all completely illogical and so irritating but is so widespread. It troubles me that so often conversations with my female friends contain disparaging comments about their outward appearance.

So, as an antidote to society’s conclusion that only youth is beautiful, I looked for anything positive to act as an antidote to the negativity and give me something to counteract this crazy behaviour and I found these………..

Jo Fairley writing in Psychologies magazine comments on the power of the mirror, she has the mirrors in her house slightly foxed giving a becomingly blurred reflection. leaving her feeling fine when she leaves the house. Jo spent five consecutive days meeting shoppers in Selfridges and was amazed at how almost every person was fretting over some imperfection that was invisible to her – she could only see their sparkling eyes or shiny hair, and was struck by their voice or laughter. The bottom line, Jo says, is that the face (and body ) we see in the mirror isn’t how others see us and if women only grasped that they would be a lot happier.

Secondly, I read the section on ageing in Mireille Guiliano’s French Women don’t get Fat (one of the only healthy eating cook books to recommend the consumption of chocolate).

She talks of how the French ‘acknowledge the mystique of une femme d’un certain âge – an expression with layers of meaning, including respect but also worldliness and hints of seduction. The difference between France and many countries is amazing. In France, or Italy, men naturally find women of this age group desirable, even sexy. If she is eating alone in a restaurant, they are more likely to flirt with her, than pity her’

Then, finally, I got my haircut, which generally gives me a new lease of life, and am trying to convince myself that I am the embodiment of French chic! It may not be entirely true but it’s doing wonders for my self esteem………