Debunking “Act your age” with a Magic Debunking Wand

With my ‘debunkle or debunkling’ magic wand, I remove the phrase “Act your Age” from language.  Nobody has ever heard of it.  Nobody ever says it.  If you are here and you are now thinking, “Why, I’ve never heard that phrase…” but before you can even finish the thought, the phrase is again wiped from your memory, then do not read on.  Your job is done.

But for those whose own magical defenses prevented them from having “Act your age” wiped from their memory.. please do read on..

This post is not about the who what whens and whys of how we use this phrase. It’s not about the 35 year old partying animal who blows his mortgage payment on alcohol.   Or about berating a child who is just playing by telling them to act their age.  It’s not about that sort of ‘act your age’ though I have a lot to say about telling a child to act their age, and it’s not positive.

This is about our belief that their are certian expectations for certain ages.  And as you get older, you think you are getting older and you should or should not do certain things. Like, people thinking me being a die-hard skier in my late 40’s was ridiculous and I should act my age. Or ‘age gracefully’ as one dumbass said.  Or people questioning my sanity, or even me questioning my sanity, when I trained as a sailor in my later 50’s.

Acting your age based on the common beliefs of the society you are in will just make you old quicker. Your body and mind will believe you, when you believe you aren’t able to do certain things, dress certain ways, travel alone, take up a new career, etc, etc.

Of course we have to use our own wisdom about our abilities when making ‘age inappropriate’ (ha ha) plans. I mean, if I’d blown out my knee before sailor training – that would be a reason not to do it. BUT the only reason to choose or not choose to do something, must really be up to you – once you’ve removed the ‘act your age’ beliefs from your mind.  Get a wand. Do a little magic. Make those go away.

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“You cannot add tiny clay pieces to large clay pieces. They will be destroyed in the firing process,”  said my first ceramics instructor. What if I’d believed that to be true and never added the first tiny faerie to one of my pots? Why, I wouldn’t have the most bizarre and magical life story that evolved as a result, and that is now oh so close to publishing!

 “Real writers write on yellow foolscap paper.” said a famous author (who’s name I have erased from my memory for obvious reasons) in a workshop full of hopeful writers.  What if they believed him and now blankly sit with a pad of yellow foolscap paper in a cool coffee shop, wishing they were at home pouring out their words in a blog format that they love?

 “Illustration is not art,” said the university professor, and so the young artist’s dream to illustrate books was instantly squashed, and she finished her degree in fine art, and never picked up a paintbrush or pencil for years. (It’s okay, she’s been coached, realized what had stopped her, and is back in her passion.)

There’s so much myth debunking to do!!

… debunking the myths that cause parent’s guilt; debunking what the left brain systems have taught the right-brainers about themselves, debunking all that traditional thinking that has people not making the changes they dream of…

“Janet, you can’t use white.. that’s not acceptable in any form of painting,” said the Art Store owner.  I bought it anyway and sulked out, probably mumbling, ‘then why do they sell it?”  I was surprisingly relieved when David Langevin, an expert in the techniques of the old Masters,  announced in a workshop something along the lines of: “Yes, you can use black. Yes, you can use white. Don’t believe anything people tell you about painting.” (Oh! Want to be inspired? Watch the video on David’s home page!)

” Not until I win the lottery…”  The moment the words are spoken, the dream is shut down. Done. The ability to creatively think your way past the barriers simply does not happen.  Cure: When you hear yourself speak the words, stop and ask, “Hmmm, how else can I do this?” or get a life coach.