Short Thoughts: Aging Gracefully vs Aging Well

Before we begin…

Not every Epiphany needs an essay. Most are starting points for further inquiry and discussion.

💭 Short Thoughts

1) 📖 Definitions

Conviction is internal.

Confidence is external.

With Conviction, you don’t need to convince others, allowing you to focus on executing and showing results. It will come across as Confidence to others, especially as you stay committed to your goals.

In short, Conviction leads to Confidence over time.

True Conviction, however, takes work. It comes from being curious and rigorous, taking the time to form and test your own beliefs.

2) 🧓 How can we improve our relationship with the aging process?

Aging well is taking care of our body as we age (resistance). Aging gracefully is adapting to different phases of life as we age (acceptance). While we can do both simultaneously, the happiest old people I know prioritize aging gracefully over aging well, because the process of aging is inevitable and despite our best efforts, our bodies will eventually degrade.

3) 🚗 The Need to Fill Space

While driving in Texas, I noticed that people tend to speed up from 70 to 80 to 90 to right before the felony line at 100 miles per hour (mph), just to fill the gap to the car in front of them.

This reminded me of how we often feel the instinctual urge to fill up space in conversations. As a result, conversations feel rushed, forced and tight. Just because there's room in front of you, it doesn't mean you need to fill it. In music, space between notes is what differentiates it from noise.

Space represents intention.

If I'm driving at 70mph, in order to go faster, I'd have to be more alert, use more energy and mental focus, and watch for police to maintain that speed and close the gap. That’s stressful. I don't have to do that.

Instead I could choose intention over instinct, whether it's on the road or in conversations.

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