The old saying is that age is just a number. But when exactly do you stop caring about what that number is? Is the saying true, or is it something that old people tell themselves to feel better?

I can only speak from my own personal experience here, but at the age of 47, my number doesn't really concern me right now. What's the difference between being 40 and being 47? Seven years. I don't really feel any worse than I did at the age of 40. Sure, my body has taken a few more hits and it cracks a bit more than it did several years ago. But I'm basically the same person. So to me, at this point in my life, age IS just a number.

But try telling that to someone who hasn't reached those big milestone numbers yet. My son is 17. You don't think he's counting down the days until he hits 18? And then 21? A new survey conducted by OnePoll, on behalf of ClearMatch Medicare looked at the average age that you stop caring about how old you are. It found that at the age of 43, you no longer care. And get this. 84% of people said that they have embraced the aging process! Congratulations on acting like an adult!

So what are the best parts about getting older? The survey found these to be the top five.

  1. More free time.
  2. Retiring
  3. Being able to relax more
  4. Quality time with family
  5. Speaking your mind

I do enjoy the time I have with my family. I know that in the next few years my kids will eventually leave the nest and what a strange feeling that will be! The other thing that I enjoy about getting older is knowledge. Simply put, I know more at 47 years old than I did at 37, or 27 years old. You gain knowledge by living your life.

So no matter what your number is, don't be afraid of it. Embrace it. Use it to your advantage. Enjoy that trip around the sun...you've earned it.

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