Step into any greeting-card store and peek at cards specified for ages 50+. You might see one that reads, “I’m smiling and nodding because I have no idea what’s going on.” On the inside reads, “Just one more outcome of getting a year older!” Don’t get me wrong about the card’s message—I have a good sense of humor. But this phenomenon begs the question, “Why do ‘older’ birthday cards carry such doom and gloom?” Is it a universal truth that declines in cognitive and physical health occur with age? In my Developmental Sport and Exercise Psychology course, I once asked my students (ages 22-25) to identify the age range and adjectives for children, adolescents, middle aged, and older adults. The majority wrote down the years 30-55 for middle age, and 55+ for older adults. Older adults received the most negative labels, including loss of physical abilities, declining health, frail, sick, remorseful, abandoned, and dependent. Unfortunately, my students envisioned their futures as older adults in pretty pessimistic ways.

I share these two scenarios—birthday cards and my students’ opinions—to reveal the pervasive stereotypes society holds about getting older and to present an alternative view for how adults can age successfully. My answer is a resounding “No!” to the question of whether health declines are universal with increasing age. There are infinite possibilities for developing a physically active lifestyle and embracing a positive self-perception as an active, healthy adult.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans specify that adults (ages 18-64) and older adults (65 years and older) can achieve substantial health benefits when they participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Such activities include walking briskly, swimming, bicycling, dancing, and golfing. Additional health benefits can be achieved by doing 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity weekly and muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days per week. Muscle-strengthening activities include weight training, calisthenics, yoga, tai chi, and heavy gardening. These guidelines sound rather straightforward. However, one of the barriers to achieving them is that many adult women do not self-identify as physically active; such self-perceptions are associated with sedentary or insufficient activity even though they are aware that being active means being healthy. Understanding women’s self-perceptions is crucial because they are associated with physical activity levels, successful aging, and healthy behaviors.

The concept of “possible selves” (coined by Hazel Markus) is linked with future physical activity behaviors and healthy outcomes. As we age, we often think about the experiences that are in store for us, and the kinds of people we might possibly become. Sometimes we think about what we hope we will be like—our hoped-for possible selves. Hoped-for selves include being a healthy older adult and experiencing quality of life. We may also have images of ourselves in the future that we fear and want to avoid becoming, our feared possible selves. Feared selves might comprise old-age descriptors my students listed—frail, sedentary, and dependent.

To avoid this future of fear, possible strategies include asking yourself, “What am I doing to help achieve (or prevent) this possible self? Do I engage in specific activities to achieve a hoped-for self or avoid a feared self?” Adults who are regularly active ask these questions—and use these strategies—to reach physical activity and nutrition goals. Adult women who are not regularly active, and thus at risk for not aging successfully, can benefit from identifying strategies for achieving possible selves, and seeking support from friends, family, and professionals to help achieve their goals. The bottom line is that self-perception drives behavior—possible selves along with constructive strategies lead to adopting physical activity levels that ensure positive cognitive, emotional, and physical health.

As a Baby Boomer myself, I have hope for the future. I set daily and weekly goals to keep my sights focused on my hoped-for self. I encourage all women to use the “possible selves” strategy to envision their future as a healthy older adult. Recently, I came across a birthday card that captures the take-home message of my story. On the outside it says, “Everyone is the age of their heart…” And on the inside? “Happy birthday, kid.”

—Maureen Weiss, Co-director