I pulled out an article from the Wall Street Journal my ultimate concierge saved for me. He thought it would make a good story. The article was titled, “When Did You First Feel Old.” You would think the article spoke to people over 50. Not so. Did you know there are people who feel old in their 30s? The article says that those three words pop up in everyone’s head beginning at a young age. I decided to write about the topic of age because I had an experience yesterday at Saks. A salesgirl made me feel old. I should have taken her words as a compliment.

I had run out of two Nars beauty products. Nars is sold at Saks so I ran over from my apartment. I asked for my two products and then sat down on a chair at the makeup counter to sample a new eyebrow color. The young woman helping me looked at me as she was applying color to my brows and said, “ I know you were a model.” I answered, “No, but thank you.” The thought that stuck in my mind was not her compliment but the word, “were.” I felt old. I thought about her words on my walk home.

When I left Saks my mood changed. I started walking down Michigan Ave. and it was a beautiful day. My spirits lifted and I felt young at heart. I remembered age was just a number. I decided I went negative on her positive compliment because of my recent surgery and a cold that was hanging on. I did not feel my normal self.

However, my conversation with the salesgirl and the Wall Street Journal article fueled today’s story. Everything is attitude, darlings. Everything.

Each day we have evolving thoughts and perceptions. Our minds are constantly churning out information. I have learned through my evolving thoughts that my mind and my body are intertwined and I have the ability to make positive choices. I know this because I feel it. The mind/body connection works in our favor if we use attitude to control our thinking. Think positive about your age and see your glass half full or think negative and see your glass half empty. It’s all about mind over matter, darlings. It is your beliefs. Your attitude.

The Wall Street Journal article talks about why a young man in his 30s felt old. He was placing his order at a Starbucks and was dismayed when the cashier called him “sir.” He recalled his parents using that term to address old people. On an upbeat note, the article discusses a woman, 101 years old, who still preaches at her church, who got her driver’s license at 96, who went to Africa at 97 and says her philosophy is, “People who spend their time ‘talking’ about being old and sick ‘feel’ old and sick.” A professor of psychology took a survey of 900 women between the ages of 18 and 87 and found that more than half of those women between the age of 18 and 29 were worrying about looking old!

On a positive note, Pew Research found over 65% of older women feel younger than their age. The gap becomes wider as we grow older. Half the women over 50 felt ten years younger. A third of the women 65-75 felt ten to nineteen years younger. We darlings, or most of us, are seeing our cup half full with positivity.

So, my darlings, remember more than 60% of your sisters are doing just fine with their age.

How do you see your glass?

Age is what we make it. I do see my glass half full because I enjoy filling my glass with positivity.

If you eat properly you put yourself on an emotional high even though you might be a half-empty type of gal. You are filling your glass with your positive actions. You are subscribing to good health practices which automatically makes you feel better. I eat pomegranate seeds, all berries, I drink green tea and take vitamin C, I eat fish (not sword or tuna) and orange vegetables.

Focus on filling your glass with opportunity. Do not sit back and dream. Move forward and DO. This definitely takes emotional energy.

Write down your personal 10 Commandments. Here are a few of mine:

• I will be grateful for something(s) every day.
• I will take the high road.
• I will fill my glass half-full with total optimism.
• I will live each day with purpose and passion.
• My age is just a number.
• I will give back.
• I will be true to myself, feel my power.
• I love and care deeply.

If you find yourself in a personal rut involve yourself with women who are vital, visible and believe in themselves. Move away from women who complain and live inside the box. You need stimulating women in your life.

Fortunately, you are or can be your own magic wand. Many of you do live magical lives. Share your ideas and identify them with me and your sisters; your attitudes and ideas for living a great life after the age of 50.