Getting OLD sucks! My right eyelid hangs slack over my eye, I’ve got bizarre hairs appearing on my chin, and both of my knees have turned into real jackasses. Welcome to old age, Jen. Now that you’re in your 50s, the party’s over. What the What?!

What you say is what you believe, and what you believe is what you become! So stop it. Stop talking like you’re one step away from handing in your driver’s license.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that our bodies change throughout our lives, but nobody gets to tell me to put away my leggings and start playing Bridge. I choose to downhill ski, not downhill slide.

We do need to take care of our bodies and work on reducing our aches and pains, but our attitudes have a huge impact, and we need to stop buying into the myth that our best days are behind us. So here’s my humble advice. It’s actually just a list of affirmations for me, but if it helps you shake off your number age, go for it!

STOP COUNTING

I’m a huge fan of Dr.Christiane Northrup, the author of Women’s Bodies Women’s Wisdom. I watched her latest video series and loved it. In Goddesses Never Age, Dr. Northrup talks about how she doesn’t celebrate her birthdays any more. It’s not about depriving ourselves of a party with cake and champagne (my house, June 15), it just means that we need to stop focusing on a number and start celebrating being our lives. She believes that our physical and mental health is dictated far more by our beliefs than by our biology.

SAY, “I GOT THIS”

I’m in my 50’s and I JUST discovered my passion. I fell madly, deeply and truly in love with women’s portrait photography. It was a circuitous route through many jobs, but it led me here. My new motto is, “I got this!”, because that’s exactly what I said to myself when the nickel dropped and I knew I wanted to be a glamour photographer.

What if I had said to myself, “OMG! Are you crazy? You’re 50! You’re way too old to start all over again!”? I would have deprived myself of the greatest joy I’ve ever experienced (other than marrying the man of my dreams and making amazing babies with him). Don’t give up on your dreams. Go for it. Don’t waste any time. Don’t let anything stop you–especially not a number.

DON’T LOOK BACK

You’d choke on your Chardonnay if you knew how often I fantasize about what I’ll do when (not if) a movie director asks me to cry in my scene. I have a list of handy cry-on-command-memories tucked away for just that occasion. The best one is the one about the obscene amount of money I lost when I opened my own online home décor business in the very week that the world economy crashed in 2008. It’s an Oscar-worthy, cry-inducing memory guaranteed to produce copious tears, a runny nose and deep regret. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t dream about do-overs. It just means we’re all living and breathing. But let’s get real. It doesn’t get you anywhere when you keep looking in your rearview mirror. I’m consciously working on redirecting my thoughts whenever I slip into that all-too-comfortable pity party that gives my fears an “easy out” from moving toward my joy.

REBRAND YOURSELF

Seriously, it’s time to let go of the hairstyle that got you all that attention in the 80s!

I think one of the best things I ever did was asking my stylist to dye my red hair last year. It was an exhilarating rush of freedom to see that new blonde in the mirror.

Every day, we need to do big or little things that kind of scare us. It keeps us going forward and growing. With that in mind, I’m taking another big step this year. I’m the biggest baby when it comes to physical pain, but I’m actually getting a tattoo!!!! I want the beautiful word “love” tattooed on my wrist (unless that turns out to be the most painful spot for tattoos). I’m convinced that “love” is our one true purpose on this planet. Love ourselves, love our lives, love this world and love each other.

You do know it’s not about the hair or the tattoo, right? It’s really about shaking off my self-limiting beliefs and stepping into joy. Believe me, if I can do it, so can you. Go ahead and learn to skate. Buy those sexy red shoes. Get a tattoo. Start drum lessons.

Just do something every day that surprises you.