Character, much like a pregnancy, cannot be hidden for long. It eventually reveals itself through the skin, the eyes, and the gait. Those who look younger are often those who have chosen to “burn their bad habits before they burn them.” They understand that while time is a currency spent without knowing the balance, the quality of that time is determined by the depth of their self-knowledge.
Navigating the Negativity of Others
A significant part of staying young at heart involves the refusal to allow the negativity of others to become your own. Jung taught that “the biggest slap in the face to your enemies is your success.” In a world that often demands we live a life of stress and complaint, the truly “young” individual is the one who flies above the clouds like an eagle to avoid the rain. They do not seek revenge, as revenge blocks the blessings of personal evolution. Instead, they focus on becoming better, knowing that the “best revenge is to become a version of yourself that your enemies can no longer reach.”
