When's your 'Prime'?

As stated in my post yesterday, I had some inspirational conversations this weekend! This second post was inspired by a Sunday morning breakfast chat with my Sister-In Law, over, 'when the hell is your prime?!'.

I've been thinking about this since, and the only answer I can come up with is that you are at your 'prime' for something at any point in your life, no-matter how old you are or which life stage you're in! The whole concept of being at your 'prime' seems to me to be pretty much made up by research and media, spinning stories about things like how past the age of 30 things start going down hill, or that your biological clock is ticking at a rapid rate and if you aren't 21 and a size 8 you're past it! This is why the beauty industry makes billions every year, and why some 'middle-aged' panic ridden people start buying sports cars and holiday homes they can't afford! Your 'prime' is great for the economy!

I'm not saying there aren't proven biological studies that show certain things to be true, but this doesn't mean you aren't in your 'prime' for something! 10 years ago may have been your 'prime' bikini wearing time, but this could now be your 'prime' time for economic success, or the 'prime' time to let go and spend time enjoying your family. Even if it's completely made up in your head, find a reason to tell yourself you are currently at your 'prime' for something! Or better yet....forget the whole concept of 'prime' and view yourself as ever developing, improving, and 'getting better with age'! Because the truth is, you are! As we get older we genuinely do improve ourselves in most cases. We learn more, we understand ourselves and the world better, we stop worrying about what others think about us, and we start to realise what makes us happy. At 16 I may have been much 'smaller', but I'm genuinely happier now and ever developing in my creativity and ideas. I like to think I'm currently in my 'prime' for taking some chances and being bolder. Much more than when I was in my teens or twenties, and probably more than I will be in 10 years time, when I'm hoping I'll be at my 'prime' as a MILF! We do stop being our 'best' at some things, but we get better at others, so your 'prime time' for anything is always changing.

The trick here is to be aware of what you're currently excelling at. This involves some mindfulness thinking, in that you ignore the past, and the future, and concentrate on 'now'. Don't focus on what has deteriorated over the years, or what might deteriorate later on, but what you are doing really well right now. e.g. I'm currently coping well with stress at work, I'm good at knowing how to dress to feel good, I'm doing really well in supporting my family, I'm enjoying a busy social life, I'm succeeding in finding my own feet and living independently.

So my aim is to try to go through life figuring out what I'm now in my 'prime' for, but you may want to scrap the idea all together and just continue improving with age. Either way, you're never 'past your prime' because there's always something you're about to get better at!