LIFE LESSONS
From star actress Andie Macdowell
There is beauty in ageing, not something to dread
It’s important to stop and smell the flowers. I do literally do that. There’s a lady who lives across the street who has the best roses, and when I walk by, I always smell them, and I think that’s important. Part of the bliss of the day.
I have a tendency towards anxiety. I’m a worrier, and I think yoga is a really good place for me to calm down. I started when I was pregnant with my son, who is 30 now. I love hiking, too, it is very soothing and comforting for me.
Happiness is the ultimate goal, to feel peaceful and content. I have no control over my work but I have control over my inner spirit. My happiness comes from simplicity. I’m a yogi, so for me it’s really about breath work and being present. I find a lot of joy from nature and being outside.
I’ve never tried to be a best friend to my children. I was always the parent and they were never my buddies. But it has definitely changed because I look to them for advice now. They repeat things that I taught them and remind me how to treat myself. It’s been a fun turn in our relationships that I can now actually look for advice from them. But they are still my children and I am still the parent.
I’m not in a relationship but I find love in all kinds of places. I find love where I find compassion and empathy – with friends, groups of people or places where I can be my true self. My type of love right now is more along those lines. It’s not a sexual love, more true love or loving of the soul or loving of the self. I think it’s great if you can be in a relationship that allows both that and the sexual side. I’d open my heart to something like that again but I’m okay without it – I’ve got so much.
There is beauty in ageing. Our perspective needs to shift. We’ve become so obsessed with youth that we don’t give ageing the respect it deserves. It’s something you look forward to. Every stage of your life is important and you don’t need to be looking back. You need to love every part of your life. It’s part of your life. It’s not something that you should dread. That’s what makes me sad. I don’t want my girls to feel like they can’t look forward to this part of their life; something that is beautiful. There is beauty in all ages, let’s put it that way. There is no expiration date on beauty.
Christmas means family to me – it’s the one time of year we all get together. My kids and I all go up to Montana. I hope it never changes! I just love seeing them together. We cross-country ski, play in the snow and cook together. We all go to a community service on Christmas Eve, to the big bonfire, sing Christmas carols and have drinks. It’s pretty magical.