DEFYING MY AGE : My Real Secrets to Staying Young, Inside and Out!

Hey guys!

So, I turned 29 two months ago, right? Right! But still, some people just can't accept the fact that I am about to say goodbye to my 20's pretty soon. Everyone is asking what my secret is. Maybe it's about time I give some decent answers. 

The truth is, I don't feel THAT young all the time. With all the physical pain and discomfort that I have been experiencing, the trips to doctors and ophthalmologists, I do feel old sometimes! But does it have to be that obvious? Must I really have wrinkles, saggy skin and crappy memory to be taken seriously? 

I don't know about you, but I don't feel like living up to the society's standard of 'old'. For me, age is really just a number. You can be 40 or 50 but you can still probably rock denim jeans if you take really good care of your body. You would probably hear people saying that your clothes should be age-appropriate, but if you are confident enough to wear whatever piece of clothing they find inappropriate for your age, guess what? It's your life, you can do whatever you want!

Before I get totally side-tracked, let me just start sharing with you the things that I usually do to defy my age. I know that the word 'defy' sounds a bit rebellious, but trust me, I'm playing by the rules!

Here we go...

#1 I hold on to the things I used to love when I was younger. 

I try not to let them become part of my 'past'. Be it songs, movies, memorable places or anime shows. When I was a kid, TV was my life, but these days, I almost never watch TV anymore BUT I still watch anime regularly through the Internet! And I don't get grounded!!! (Woohoo!) Most people my age have outgrown this anime obsession and I am deeply hurt when they say 'Oh you still watch CARTOONS?!' 

We might think that thinking about the things from 'the past' would make us feel old. But the opposite is actually true. When you are surrounded by the things you used to have when you were a kid, you just can't help smiling or giggling. You feel nostalgic as sh*t which is actually a good thing to uplift your mood. I never understood why hearing old songs (from the 80's and 90's) makes me feel young somehow. All I remember is being an adolescent, not knowing about anything, and then all of a sudden I'll snap back to reality and I will be overwhelmed (in a good way!) about how my life has changed from that to this. You don't have to cut the cord that connects your past and present. Just use it to inspire you and motivate you when you are feeling kinda lost in the moment. 

#2 I try to move around as much as I could. 

Yes, I do feel sluggish as hell on weekends! Who doesn't? Working for the entire week is exhausting for singles and married people. But in the long run, if you keep on letting that sluggish feeling walk all over you for the entire month and the entire year, guess what? You will accumulate unwanted weight eventually. I perfectly understand that I do not have the same metabolism I had when I was a teen. I cannot burn that much calories by simply playing tag with my next door neighbors. When I was young, I don't ever plan to jog or run on the weekends. No! You just automatically play every single day after school and you play more during the weekends because that's what life was all about then - PLAYING! Running was as natural as eating! But now, I have to get a good sleep, set my alarm a few times, have a decent meal, have good workout clothes, perfect weather and all other mandatory sh*ts before I could RUN! What happened? We grew up! I grew up and I have responsibilities now and I can't just run outside when my playmates yell outside my door, because these days, I am tired! We all get tired, but if we can just remind ourselves that we need exercise as much as we need rest, maybe it wouldn't be that hard. If you just give working out a chance or if you find the right motivation, then know that you could live a healthier and longer life. Do it for yourself, first and foremost. But try to think about your loved ones as well. You want to live with them for as long as you can right? 

These days, I'm doing a 20-30 minute walk from my dorm to my office. So, I don't really feel that guilty even if I can't run on the weekends. I also started taking aerobics dance lessons!!! Haha~ I found a dance studio near my dorm, however, I can only take Saturday classes. If I do have some errands or meetings, then I'd have to skip it. :(

#3 I try my best to make good food choices. 

I'm not saying I'm a vegan or vegetarian but I try my best to eat more fruits and vegetables even if I used to despise them when I was younger. The struggle is just so real when all you want to eat for breakfast is bacon and egg, right? Don't even get me started with PMS!!! Urgh! Nothing ruins my diet more than a week of PMS! However, the moment I get my sh*t together again, I try to clean up my tummy by eating natural foods. These days, I'm trying my best to get by with oatmeal and fruit for lunch and a light dinner, or none at all. I have noticed a huge difference in my weight, seriously! All I need is a powerful breakfast to jump start my day. I still drink 1-2 cups of coffee EVERYDAY but I do know that I may have to cut back on it soon. It might be best to see a nutritionist or your doctor first before making huge changes in your diet. But if you want to start on your own, start slow. Don't do it in one go. 

When it comes to drinks - green tea is a good idea, especially for weight loss, but consider the fact that it might send you to the restroom to do number 2 - A LOT. So, a better choice? WATER!

#4 I also love to exercise and tease my brain. 

You can't let your memory fail! As much as possible I try to read a book or two on a weekly basis just to keep my mind working. Real books are better so I can take a break from the radiation I get from doing my work. I do word puzzles and word games as well, haha! I'm that kind of a geek! No, seriously, we have to keep learning. This world is changing really fast and if all the things that you know are already outdated, guess what? You will become history, you will become the past. Time is going to walk all over you like you never existed at all. Just because we are out of school or university doesn't mean we have to stop learning. Actually, graduating from university should be just the beginning of the so-called REAL LIFE. What's gonna happen to you if you stop reading or learning once you graduate? 

#5 I try to laugh as often as I could. 

Whether it's my favorite season of FRIENDS or TWO BROKE GIRLS, I just watch whatever it is that would make me laugh, especially when I'm starting to feel crappy. I even watch funny GIFs on Pinterest. I also love reading hilarious jokes or short stories, but it might be best if you talk with a friend who is an inborn comedian. See, laughing is good for your heart. A happy heart is a healthy heart. A healthy heart is reflected on the face of a healthy person. A healthy person feels young - BOOM! There's your trail to agelessness! Haha! 

#6 I try to get as much sleep as I could. 

I don't know about you but ever since I started working, I have realized that I need 9-10 hours of sleep to be able to function normally in the office. If I get less than that, I'd be cranky as sh*t the entire day. Might sound immature but it's true. I think most people would not be able to function properly if they are sleep-deprived. Plus, when you haven't had enough sleep, it would show on your face AND skin. I hate getting out of the house with puffy eyes or dark circles around my eyes. Concealing it with the right make up or skincare products might be your first option, right? Been there! And that leads me to the next one on my list...

#7 I never stop looking for the right skincare products. 

There are a lot of products in the market these days and I perfectly know how confusing it must be for you to find the right one! But no one can do this for you. What works for your mom, sister or friends could possibly not work on you and you have to deal with that. What's a girl got to do? You have to literally see for yourself. At the risk of your own skin!

Since there would always be times when I would have less sleep due to anime binge-watching and pretty much over-thinking about my future, recently I've been having top-notch dark circles that I couldn't hide beneath BB cream anymore. Wearing sunglasses would be a good idea, I know...but that's not always an option for near-sighted chicks like me. (Did I just call myself a chick?)

However, a few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be given a sample of this magical product from JC Premiere. It is called 'timeless'. It is a cream that can be applied under your eyes to decrease the puffiness if you've had an all-nighter but you still have to look like human the next several hours. You can literally see the result as soon as you apply this product! I'm not quite sure if it would be permanent, but for a skincare product that would somehow erase all your worries about looking bad in an important meeting, date or photo shoot, this is definitely an impressive quick fix. 

I'm not done yet! 

Aside from those seven things that I have mentioned, there's another important thing that I'd like to share with you. You might say it's cliche but, this is actually one of the best ways to look younger - being happy! 

Whatever it is that gets in the way of your happiness, eliminate it! Remove it from your life or keep a healthy distance from it. You have probably been a victim of the infamous motivation-killer, more popularly known as stress. Yup, that thing that has been medically proven to be the source of all kinds of diseases, that thing everyone is talking about but can't seem to vanquish somehow - that's it! That's what's robbing you off your youthful glow. Take that out of your life or find a way to deal with it in a healthy way. Challenges would always be in our way, but our reactions vary. I am also usually a victim of this culprit, but believe me, I'm trying my best to stay positive and not let it consume me. 

You can do it too!

My secrets are out! Your turn! Do you hear people saying you don't look like your age? What do you do to defy your age? Feel free to share them in the comment section below, I would love to read them!

Stay young and pretty!