What is a myth? A myth in popular use is something that is widely believed but false. At one time we believed the myth that woman weren't capable of holding a high executive office or that one race was superior to another. Myths can control behavior. The myth that woman were incapable of rational thought deprived them of the right to vote. Many women internalized the myth which had deleterious affects on their sense of self, what they thought they could do with their lives and what they had to contribute to society.

It is very similar with the myths of aging. One large myth is that you must become less valuable as you age. Some societies esteem people as they age but ours esteems youth. It is driven by advertisers who learned that product attachment happens at a young age and that beautiful young woman cause people to look at car ads. Materialism, beauty and the worship of youth came at us through motion pictures, television and print. You have to be young, thin, physically attractive and cool. But what about the deeper values of wisdom, experience, spirituality and the desire to care for one another. As we age, if we continue to develop ourselves, we develop more meaningful values. We see life from a much longer perspective, and if we reflect on our experience, we develop wisdom. And instead of spending almost every waking moment thinking about sex, getting ahead and what objects we want to buy, studies show that we spend much more time thinking about others, how to help the world, and how to leave a legacy. Are these not values that deserved to be esteemed?

The second and equally destructive myth of aging is, that as your body ages, you experience of life automatically has to become less satisfying. And that you automatically become less capable intellectually as you age. Nothing could be further from the truth. While there may be some loss of memory and speed of mental processes these are more than compensated for by wisdom, judgment and experience. And not only is it possible to find ever increasing happiness in the aging experience but it is vital to longevity. Studies show that you can live 7 ½ years beyond what your life expectancy is today, and that those years can be filled with ever increasing levels of passion, purpose and job. People just need to learn how to do it.

Below we list 7 myths of aging that have been refuted. We hope you will join us in our desire to change the myths of aging. We hope you will add your voice to many other Third Agers as we replace these destructive myths with constructive values and images in society through our work to change the communications media, public interest groups, and corporations. We hope you will learn what it takes to live longer and be happier and you will add your wisdom and experience toward helping us all do the same. We hope that you will join the effort to make this the best time of life.

How can you do that?

1. Become a member by registering --- add your voice to an ever increase chorus of voices spreading the word and insisting on truth not myth.
2. Make a contribution --- it allows our work to continue and it's tax deductible.
3. Listen to our radio show --- it will inspire you and help you with specific topics.
4. Buy our book --- follow the seven steps and increase your joy in aging.
5. Participate in a Webinar --- have a personal phone session with David and Peter.
6. Blog on our site --- help yourself and others by sharing your problems, experience and wisdom.
7. Take our certification class --- become trained in doing the work to help others to find fulfillment as they age.
8. Tell others about this site --- it will allow us to continue to expand and strength all of our collective voices.

The Myths of Aging and How to Reverse them

Myth #1: Life Isn't Fun Anymore
Myth #2: You Become Useless
Myth #3: You Are Only as Attractive as You Look
Myth #4: You Become Physically Ill and Unable to Enjoy Life
Myth #5: You Won't Find Romance
Myth #6: Your Interest in Sex Disappears
Myth #7: You Can't Learn and Experience New Things