Years ago, when middle age seemed like it only happened to other people, I took an Ashtanga class in Montauk. As I clumsily shifted from downward dog to chaturanga, I noticed an older woman at the front of class, with gray braids, a purple T-shirt, and lithe, taut limbs. She seemed to swim from pose to pose, as graceful as a seal in water. A beatific peace emanated from her that I have been thinking about more and more as I enter this next decade: 50. A friend's older sister recently told her that "after 50, you can kiss your beauty goodbye." Could that be true? I may be naive, stubborn, and vain, but I refuse to accept this pronouncement. I don't aspire to be one of those "well-preserved" faces of the Upper East Side or Beverly Hills. I want to become some version of that beautiful wise yoga sage, but how?
A few years ago, I started a morning regimen of 25 minutes of yoga and five minutes of meditation. Brief, achievable, and surprisingly helpful in many ways. I kept to it for quite a while, maybe 18 months, and even started to find a little inner peace, or at least mental clarity. But it became much harder to summon the will once I entered perimenopause. Defined as the 10 or so years before you experience your final period, perimenopause is menopause's dirty little secret, and it can hit at any moment, usually after you turn 40. For me, the onslaught arrived in the form of intense mood swings, alternating bouts of tears and rage, sleeplessness, and weight gain. I thought I was going crazy.
Denne historien er fra Volume 3. No 2 - 2023-utgaven av The Oprah US.
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Denne historien er fra Volume 3. No 2 - 2023-utgaven av The Oprah US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The BEST BOOKS of 2024
We all loved Oprah's Book Club selections this year (did you read them all?), but here are our editors' favorite standouts on the shelves-from the thoughtprovoking to the heartwarming to the hilarious.
The Summer I TOOK My Mom "HOME"
Whenever I tell people about the Last Trip Home I took to Italy with my 87-year-old mother and my older son last summer, everyone has the same response (\"Awwww...\"), which makes me feel like a fraud because I know they're imagining some gauzy scene. And to be fair, I'd tried to plan it that way.
PARIS Made ME DO IT
Travel maybe shouldn't be any different than \"regular\" life, but it is.
LOST And Found IN AMERICA
When I was 21, I spent the summer driving around the United States with my boyfriend. It amazes me, looking back, that I let myself go on that eight-week trip.
I WENT I Saw, HATE
Ten years ago, I went to Tokyo on a lark. I was invited to the opening of the 38-story Aman Tokyo hotel, a beautiful example of urban minimalism and a destination unto itself.
Trips That Changed US All Forever
Me, MOM, And A Thousand SEABIRDS
Dear Biohackers, The Secrets to Longevity Are Simpler Than You Think
In a world of health trackers built to optimize, we propose choosing joy over deprivation and community over navel-gazing. The research agrees.
The Menopause Makeover: For When "Aging Gracefully" Gets Old
Because literally everything-from eyelids to neck skin to boobs to butt-falls off a cliff. Here, a dozen interventions women in this life stage are embracing.
Why I Cut Off All My Hair
The author of City of Girls and Big Magic talks about how she made the bold decision to break out the clippers in order to find her own version of beauty.
The Perfect Gift Book for Everyone on Your List
Sumptuous reads that look as lovely on your coffee table as they do on your bedside table.