Don't Fight It, Embrace It

(from sherylcrow.com)

In 2006, 13 years after she became an international star, Sheryl Crow was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. It caused her to re-assess her life.

The best lessons in life are the ones that stop you in your tracks. I was staring down a beast in the mirror, and it was saying, “You need to start changing some things.”

She let go of her belief about the way life's supposed to be ("You fall in love, you have a great relationship, and then you have children") and adopted two sons. She also embraced her age.

In the past 10 years, once I let go of trying to be younger and needing to have a pop-radio career, I’ve found the space to write about things that really matter.

Accepting one's age is different from determining what is the perfect age: [bold added]

Researchers like Dr. [Jay] Olshansky are trying to understand the mysteries of longevity and at what ages we feel our best and why. They measure worry and stress levels at different times in our life and peak years for having fun...

If people could live forever in good health at a particular age, it would be 50, according to a 2013 Harris Poll.

There are also arguments for 70 ("when people are less anxious but still healthy") or 30 ("when they are at their physical peak or have the most friends"). Of course, the answer will vary according to individuals' preferences, e.g., wealth, physical attractiveness, mental acuity, etc.

Maybe Sheryl Crow has the right attitude. Accept how you are now for maximum happiness.