People lie about their age all the time. That was a statement I heard from a personality development coach in one of those talks that is supposed to make you feel good about yourself. The talk wasn't exactly great (the speaker spoke too much about herself) but I like how it made me think about the importance of embracing your age and staying true to yourself. Here are seven reasons why people lie about their age:
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Vanity
People take a good hard look in the mirror and realized that the years sped by THAT fast and suddenly they are no longer 20 or 30 or 40 anymore. If you could turn back time, would you really want that? A lot of people want to be thought of as young and beautiful so celebrating birthdays become the less pleasant days of the year. So... they lie about their age...
Vanity is a common reason for people to lie about their age. In today's society, there is a lot of pressure to look young and beautiful, especially for women. This can lead to people feeling self-conscious about their age and wanting to appear younger than they actually are. According to a study by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 64% of women feel pressure to maintain a youthful appearance. This pressure can lead to people lying about their age in order to fit societal beauty standards. Additionally, with the rise of social media and dating apps, there is a fear of being judged or rejected based on age, leading people to lie in order to appear more desirable.
Competition
There is always someone younger, hungrier and ready to climb up your back for that promotion at work, especially in a world where youth - unfortunately - is valued more than age and experience. So...telling someone you are perpetually “stuck” at 42 doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all.
Ego
Who wants to be called old? Or useless? Or unwanted? No one of course, and it is our hubris that will tell us that we are more than what or who we think we are. It is our ego that always gets us into trouble so you might want to stick that in a drawer somewhere and learn to enjoy life as it comes to you.
Aging Ungracefully
Some people simply do not want to be “old” and want to stay young forever. For them, aging is what happens to other people. They will dress just as their counterparts do who are 10 or 20 years their junior, instead of embracing their life experiences and the wisdom that comes of it. I mean really … do you really want to go through high school all over again? Nah. No, thank you.
Want More Time
Lie is so deliciously wonderful that some people just want to live forever. Sorry buddy. You only have a finite amount of time on good ol’ terra firma so chin up and take what is given to you. However, you can slow down time by giving service to others and in that you will find a great sense of joy and happiness. That is more meaningful than spending money on botox treatments and face lifts.
Fame
For those of us who have tasted it at least once, the clarion call of “lights, camera, action” is more intoxicating than a fine glass of wine; and sorry to say that some of us will do anything to be in the limelight at least one more time. Lying about our age is a small price to pay.
Acceptance
At the end of the day, we, who are fortunate to grow old, should just accept that we can no longer run 20 miles a day like a gazelle as we could when were 17. Accepting who we are and loving the person we have become is a joyous thing. Embrace the wonder of life and live every day to the fullest. To tell you to love yourself is cliché but it's one of the most truthful pieces of advice you can ever receive from anyone who loves you.
Do you lie about your age? Why?
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