Have you been indoors for a long, long while, sitting around snacking and wearing pajamas or some form of sweatpants? If so, maybe it’s time to re-emerge and take a good look at yourself, your surroundings, and your peers. Are you in a funk? Here are a few ideas to help you re-emerge.
Time for emergence
I just took my first flight since the pandemic broke out, across the USA from California to New York, to see art and friends. I’ve spent the last week doing just that. I had to pack for this trip, which got me thinking about how I want to look in NYC, and how different a world it is here from my home in San Francisco. In NYC I see lots of older women on the streets, in restaurants and cafes, and at many cultural venues. Many women I see in NYC have a high level of self-confidence and are gorgeously “put together” in ways that make them very attractive. It’s refreshing to see the strong style statements these self-possessed women make here.
Be bold
Bold statements attire that reflects a fearlessness about being seen as a “woman of a certain age” – that is what I associate NYC with. It’s refreshing to see people reflect their personalities in their clothing. I suggest “going shopping” in your own closet. Bring out the clothes that make you feel like you’re making your own creative statement and wear them now! Get dressed in artistic, flattering attire and visit museums, art galleries, art fairs and performances. You can be your boldest self. And, if it helps you feel better – fresher – it might be time to cut and/or color your hair. These are just a few suggestions for mood boosters through outside stimuli.
Be visible
You might feel less invisible (see my previous article where I mention issues around women aging and becoming invisible). You might feel like you’re taking some part of yourself back that got lost along the path of aging. Or maybe your personal style and creative flair got buried during the time spent hidden away out of necessity and practicality due to the pandemic. It can be deeply pleasurable to feel seen and to see and observe the world around you. I am suggesting that we all dress up; go somewhere to see and be seen; and enjoy a bit of visual stimulation. This may help us get out of ourselves to feel more energetic, alive, and enthusiastic.
Experience art
In the past I’ve written about ways to stimulate creativity. Attending art events is a great way to discover like-minded people and art that makes you think. It’s a chance to dress creatively too. I like to observe. Placing myself in artistic surroundings with people involved in visual art helps override my fatigue, unhappiness, and malaise.
Creative Stimulation
I’ve been attending multiple art fairs (The Armory NYC and Art on Paper) and art venues (MoMa, The Frick, The Morgan, and The Jewish Museum) these last few days. I feel stronger, more involved, and back in the world. That feeling is shared with people of all different ages and backgrounds, but it’s my peers and friends – especially my women friends somewhere between 40-75 that I have been most concerned with. We are already known as purveyors of culture. Let’s put aside our ongoing difficulties – like getting a good night’s sleep, an interruptive hot flash, or the self-criticism. It’s time to start resuming our lives to live fully again. Women – art can help you!
Susan R. Kirshenbaum
Aging. Art. Beauty. Creativity. Lifestyle.
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