What a viral video can teach us about enjoying life.
Andrew Norton’s video, “How To Age Gracefully” has been viewed over 25 million times by people around the globe. We asked Norton why the video resonated with so many. Norton replied, “People want to stick around to see what their counterpart will say. If you’re 55 you want to see what the 56 year old says. We were able to dig into the touching, trivial, strange and moving.”
The video reminds us that every year of life holds the potential for deeper insight and growth; truly, life isn’t over until it’s over.
We meet an eight-year-old who encourages himself to “stay weird”. A woman in her late forties shares, “Dear 36 year-old, stop caring so much about what other people think. They’re not thinking about you at all.” At every stage of life our concerns can get the best of us; we worry about such things as our jobs, the weight we wanted to lose, our parent’s health. “How to Age Gracefully” reminds us to put these worries into perspective and to embrace the breadth of life.
One of my favorite moments in the video was when a 56 year-old woman suggested, “...it’s never too late to try something new.” We may not be able to quit our job on a moment’s notice, but we can take immediate, incremental steps towards change. Sign up for the classes you have been putting off, or start volunteering in your desired field. Align yourself with the frequency of your goals.
The last scene of the video closes with, “Dear 91 year old, don’t listen to other people’s advice...just do your own thing. Signed a 93 year old.” Picture yourself at 93 years old. Are you fulfilled? Did you get to do everything you wanted to? Did you give your love to the full extent of your heart? Starting today we can choose to live with purpose, passion, more laughter and grace. Fill your days with the relentless pursuit of living each new day with passion.
