"You know, there's chronological age, there's biological age, and there's psychological age. Chronological age, there's nothing you can do about, which is I'm 52. You set that number aside"

Cheryl Tiegs distinguishes three layers of aging to reclaim personal agency. Chronological age is the number of birthdays, a fixed statistic that societies use as a shortcut for expectations, status, and limits. By setting that number aside, the emphasis shifts from what cannot be changed to what can. Biological age reflects the condition of the body, cardiovascular fitness, strength, metabolic health, mobility, inflammation, sleep quality. These markers are plastic, responsive to choices about movement, nutrition, stress, and recovery. Psychological age describes mindset, curiosity, emotional flexibility, and the capacity to adapt. It is shaped by purpose, relationships, and beliefs about what is possible at a given stage of life.

The three interact. When someone identifies too tightly with the calendar, they may unconsciously adopt behaviors that accelerate decline, less play, fewer new skills, shrinking social circles. Conversely, feeling capable and curious nudges daily habits toward vitality, which improves biological markers; those improvements then reinforce a younger self-perception. Research consistently shows that people who perceive themselves as younger than their years engage more, recover better, and maintain function longer, even when controlling for health status. Mindset is not a denial of mortality; it is a lever for healthspan.

The practical takeaway is to treat age as a multi-dimensional experience. Protect and improve biological age with strength training, regular cardio, protein and fiber-rich nutrition, sunlight and sleep, stress modulation, and periodic health screening. Keep psychological age supple through novelty, learning instruments or languages, creative projects, intergenerational friendships, volunteering, travel, and play. Cultivate meaning and community, which buffer stress and support neuroplasticity. Challenge age scripts that dictate what one “should” do at 40, 60, or 80; replace them with values and goals that fit the person, not the number. Accept the calendar, then move attention to the levers that extend vitality and joy.