Hi, this is Monique Rhodes. Welcome to the In Your Right Mind podcast, where we’re learning how to be happier by working with our minds. If you would like to find out more about the work that I do, come to a website called iintendtobehappy.com. You’ll find some information there that I think will be really helpful for you.
The Quiet Kind of Aging
It’s interesting because each of us is aging. But there’s a quiet kind of aging that has nothing to do with birthdays. It’s not about wrinkles or how many candles are on your cake.
This kind of aging settles in when you stop taking chances, when you stop saying yes to the unknown—when you trade possibility for safety, and vitality for control.
It doesn’t show up on your face. It shows up in your spirit.
In many ways, growing old isn’t just about time passing. It’s about growing afraid.
- Afraid to lose what you’ve built.
- Afraid to start over.
- Afraid of failing, of looking foolish, or not knowing how something will turn out.
Youth Is Found in Risk
Real youth is found in risk.
Do you remember when you were younger? That willingness to go for it, even when the outcome was unknown?
You’d say, I’ll figure it out, and then jump anyway.
That spark we associate with being young—it’s not reserved for the young.
It belongs to the courageous.
Safety vs. Aliveness
We live in a world that confuses safety with success. We’re taught to build, to accumulate, to secure. And once we’ve got something stable, the message is clear: Don’t lose it.
So, we stop stretching.
We stop dreaming.
We stop risking.
We build comfortable routines and familiar roles. We cling to them, even when they don’t fit us anymore. And we call it wisdom, but sometimes it’s just fear in disguise.
Shrinking in Spirit
Slowly, without noticing, we begin to shrink. Not physically—but in spirit.
- We stop asking, What else is possible?
- We stop imagining bigger.
- We stop reaching.
And what’s left is a life more about maintaining than becoming.
Risk Doesn’t Have to Be Big
Taking a risk doesn’t always mean quitting your job or moving across the world.
It might mean:
- Being emotionally honest in a relationship
- Trying something new, even though you might fail
- Starting over in a small way, saying, I don’t know how, but I’ll try
That energy—the one that moves you forward without a guarantee—is your life force.
It’s the part of you that’s still becoming.
That part never dies of age. It only dies of neglect.
Vibrant People Are Still in Motion
The people we call vibrant, magnetic, or ageless—they’re not the ones who’ve figured it all out.
They’re the ones still in motion.
Still asking questions.
Still trying.
Still trusting the unknown enough to be changed by it.
Fear of Loss vs. Risk of Regret
As we get older, we tend to think we have too much to lose.
- We worry about money, reputation, identity.
- We fear breaking what we’ve built—our careers, families, relationships.
But here’s the truth: You can lose everything without ever taking a single risk.
Because life will shake things up whether you give it permission or not.
So if nothing’s guaranteed, why not choose to live fully?
Why not decide that regret—for not trying—is a greater risk than failure?
Reckless vs. Courageous
There’s a difference between recklessness and courageousness.
- Recklessness throws everything away without thought.
- Courageous risk listens deeply, takes stock of what matters, and still chooses movement over stagnation.
Risk doesn’t always lead to the outcome you want.
Sometimes you fall. Sometimes it’s messy.
But something grows in you—a strength that only comes from daring.
When you risk your pride, comfort, or certainty, you breathe new life into yourself.
You remember you’re still alive, still becoming, not a finished product.
You Are as Young as Your Willingness
Youth isn’t in your age—it’s in your willingness.
- To begin again
- To admit you don’t know everything
- To allow the world to surprise you
You are as old as the dreams you stop pursuing.
You are as old as the fears that dictate your choices.
You are as old as the voice inside that says, Better not.
But you are also as young as the part of you that dares to hope.
That part of you is not gone—it’s just waiting to be invited back.
Take the Leap
- Start something new.
- Take the leap.
- Say yes to what scares you just a little.
- Follow what excites you, even if it doesn’t make sense on paper.
You’re not stuck.
You’re not too old.
You’re not finished.
You’re just one courageous risk away from remembering who you truly are.
I hope this has been helpful. Don’t forget, come to iintendtobehappy.com. Be kind, take care, and go gently in the world.
