What Level Are You On?

The funny thing about life is that as soon as we’re born, we’re ageing.
It sounds obvious, but when you really pause on it, it’s a bit strange to think about. From day one, we’re in motion, moving forward, gathering experiences, and collecting years whether we want to or not.

Somewhere along the way, though, society decided to make ageing sound like a downfall. We celebrate milestones in our teens, 20s, maybe our 30s… and then suddenly it feels like everything after that is about decline. Wrinkles. Slower metabolism. “For your age, that’s normal.”

But what if we flipped the script?

Levelling Up Instead of Counting Down

What if we thought of ageing like levelling up in a game? Imagine saying, “I’m on Level 55!” instead of, “Ugh, I’m 55.” How different would that feel?

Think about it:

• Every level comes with new skills.

• Every level means you’ve overcome challenges.

• Every level means you’ve gained experience points (a.k.a. wisdom).

Sure, the game gets trickier the higher you go. Maybe you need new tools, more rest, or a different strategy. Perhaps you can’t play in exactly the same way you did at Level 25. But that doesn’t mean you stop playing, it just means you’re playing smarter.

Wisdom Is Your Power-Up

One of the biggest gifts of ageing is perspective. By the time you’ve hit Level 50, 60, 70, and beyond, you’ve already navigated decades of ups, downs, big wins, and hard lessons. That’s knowledge and resilience you simply don’t have earlier in the game.

And let’s not forget the stories. Every laugh line, every scar, every memory is a marker of the life you’ve lived. Those aren’t signs of “less than”, they’re reminders of how much you’ve already accomplished.

Beyond “Normal for Your Age”

Doctors love to say, “That’s normal for your age.” And yes, bodies change. Things shift. But normal doesn’t mean inevitable decline. What if instead of settling for “normal,” we aimed for “better than normal”? What if we allowed ourselves to keep pushing, growing, and finding joy at every stage?

Because here’s the truth: your life isn’t over at a number. It doesn’t expire at 40 or 60 or 80. Every level brings the opportunity to keep showing up, to try new things, to laugh, to connect, and to live.

Adding This Perspective to Everyday Life

So how do we actually put this mindset into practice? It could be as simple as changing the words we use. Instead of dreading birthdays, what if we treated them like “unlocking” a new stage? Maybe even ask yourself: What new skills or insights have I gained this past year?

It might also mean approaching challenges differently. At higher levels in a game, you don’t use the same strategies you did at the beginning. You lean on your experience, adjust your pace, and use the tools you’ve earned along the way. Age works the same way. Maybe you can’t run the marathon like you did at 25, but you can walk it, train smarter, or even coach someone else through it.

And let’s not forget the fun of it. Games are meant to be enjoyed. Life is, too. Levelling up doesn’t mean slowing down; it means you’ve earned the right to play in a way that fits you best.

A Gentle Reminder

If you take anything from this, let it be this: your age is not a countdown. It’s a collection. Every year adds to your skills, your wisdom, and your story. And that’s worth more than we often give ourselves credit for.

So the next time your birthday rolls around, or you catch yourself groaning at the number, try saying this instead: “Yes! I’ve reached this level. And I’m ready to see what comes next.”

Because ageing isn’t about losing — it’s about unlocking what you’ve gained.