Inspiration

To Be Young Again – How Our Beliefs Affect Our Health and Vitality

Written by: Nick Ortner

I was flipping through the channels the other day and saw that the movie “Big” was on. I started watching and ended up being mesmerized for a full hour!

It had been years since I’d seen it, and it got me thinking about our beliefs about age, and how they affect health and vitality.

As a culture, we define “young” so narrowly that we tend to stop calling ourselves young relatively early.

In recent years, I’ve noticed more and more friends in their thirties and forties joke about “not being that young” any more. That’s crazy, especially at a time when life span is increasing faster than ever!

(According to The National Institute on Aging, the number of people who live to 100 years old and beyond is expected to increase 10-fold globally between 2010 and 2050!)

So what if the only obstacle to feeling young again is overcoming our limiting beliefs about age?

This Research Study on How Our Beliefs About Age Affect Health and Vitality is Pretty Telling…

In his latest book, You Are The Placebo, Joe Dispenza shares a research study that highlights the importance of beliefs about age. In that study, eight men in their 70s and 80s attended a 5-day retreat organized by Harvard University at a monastery in New Hampshire.

Throughout the retreat, the men were instructed to pretend that it was 22 years earlier. They were surrounded by old issues of Life Magazine and Saturday Evening Post, TV shows from the late 1950s, even the radio was playing musicians from that era, like Nat King Cole and Perry Como. The men were also asked to discuss current events from that time, like Fidel Castro’s sudden rise to power in Cuba, Eisenhower’s historic meeting with Nikita Khrushchev, home runs by Mickey Mantle, etc.

At the end of the retreat, the researchers took the same physiological measurements of the men that they’d taken at the beginning of the study: height, weight, gait, etc. Amazingly, the men had grown “taller” and their weight, hearing, eyesight, grip strength and mental cognition had all improved. During the five days of the retreat, their posture had also straightened, and their joints had become more flexible. Some of the men were even playing touch football by the end of the five days! Wow!

So imagine that just by believing that you’re young, your body, energy level, and emotional state could change…

For a little inspiration, take a couple of minutes to watch one of the most playful scenes ever, the piano scene from “Big”:

Now, Let’s Take a Look at Your Beliefs About Age…

We’re going to do a quick exercise to explore your own beliefs about age.

First, grab a piece of paper, and then read each of these sentences to yourself OUT LOUD. As you read each one, write down how you feel emotionally and in your body. Make a note of any resistance – or positive emotions – you feel as you read each one:

I am young.

My body is young.

I can be as healthy and energetic as I used to be.

I’m not that young any more.

I’m too old to call myself young.

My body can’t do what it used to do.

I will never be young again.

I feel old.

Your experience reading those aloud should give you some clues about what you really believe about your age. Be sure to tap through any limiting beliefs you discover. (If you’re new to tapping, learn the basics here)

As we’ve seen, positive beliefs as well as limiting negative beliefs can become self-fulfilling prophecies. As just one example, I often notice how people who believe they’re “not young any more” begin to change their behavior without even realizing it. For example, they might injure themselves while playing sports, and decide the injury was a result of their age, rather than from falling down.

Because of their limiting belief that age is making their body more prone to injury, they then begin exercising less often and less vigorously. As a result of those changes in their behavior, they have less energy and their body grows even weaker. Not realizing how much less active they’ve become physically, they then blame decreases in their physical strength and vitality on age, which confirms that they’re “too old” for vigorous exercise.  Their health, strength and energy levels continue to decline. And the cycle continues.

Let’s Tap in Some Positive Beliefs About Our Age…

The same idea applies to taking on positive beliefs about age and youth, which is what those eight men experienced during their five-day retreat. So let’s do some tapping now on overcoming limiting beliefs around age. Feel free to use your own words, if mine don’t ring true for you:

KC: Even though I have all these limiting beliefs around age, and what it looks and feels like to be young, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

KC: Even though I have all these limiting beliefs around age, and what it looks and feels like to be young, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

KC: Even though I have all these limiting beliefs around age, and what it looks and feels like to be young, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.

Eyebrow: All these beliefs about age…
Side of Eye: I don’t feel as young as I used to
Under Eye: I have responsibilities now, and they’ve taken a toll over the years
Under Nose: I don’t feel as young as I used to
Under Mouth: and I don’t look as young as I used to
Collarbone: It’s hard to think of myself as young again
Under Arm: All these limiting beliefs about what it looks and feels like to be young
Top of Head: They run so deep

Eyebrow: They feel so true
Side of Eye: It’s hard thinking of myself as young again
Under Eye: It’s hard to imagine I could feel as young as I used to
Under Nose: I don’t have time to play like I used to
Under Mouth: I have all these responsibilities and they’ve taken a toll over time
Collarbone: It’s too late for me to be young again
Under Arm: I can’t turn back time
Top of Head: My age is my age, and that’s all there is to it

Eyebrow: But what if it’s just a number?
Side of Eye: What if I started to play, laugh and have fun more often?
Under Eye: What if I began moving my body more often?
Under Nose: It would be fun to feel young again
Under Mouth: It would be fun to have more energy
Collarbone: Maybe I could make more time for fun
Under Arm: And for doing things that make me feel younger
Top of Head: And then feel younger physically and mentally as a result

Take a deep breath, and keep tapping on your beliefs about your age and what means it to be “young.” You can always be young again!

Until next time…

Keep Tapping!

Nick Ortner


How do you feel about your age after going through that Tapping exercise? Comment below!



Blog Comments

Leave a Comment

Your Comment

32 Comments on this post

  1. Beth says:

    Another great topic for tapping. I am often looked at strangely at the park or outside when I am with my nieces (10, 8, 6, and 2). I play with them, alongside them, run around, use the play equipment, love the swing and have a great time with them. Most adults stay with the toddlers, but if the kids are older the adults park themselves on the benches. So sad to see.
    I also like using the swings on my own, and I don’t care if I get strange looks. It is so fun 🙂

  2. Blanca Reina says:

    Dear Nick
    Kid! you are doing a great job. I am about 79 years young and plan to kick around for some time. gotta tell you, I have your “The Tapping Solution” book. It must have been feeling ignored or something because it landed on my shoulder when I was wondering what to do today to remember what I am supposed to do (which I really don’t want to do.) well! Your book and I had a very nice session concerning memory and Stuff.
    keep up the good work KID!
    Blanca (tapping)

  3. Dorothy Manning says:

    Nick, thank you for writing this. At 75, I feel, look, act 45. I believe that if I did it yesterday, I can do it today. I do a 12 hour day, walk everywhere all the time, go to the gym for spin, weights, class 5+ times/week. Fully participate in business and social life. Have I had my share of challenges, medical and personal? Sure. Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead. Thank you again. Dorothy

  4. Lynda schroeder says:

    People can’t believe that l am 78. I tell them that l have been eating until my wrinkles filled in..which is true!…for the last five years. Looks good. Before, all my life l have been a very athletic health food person…strong and vibrant. Now l feel like horse droppings…from eating poor food…circumstances…and sitting at a computer. My joints hurt, etc. blah, blah,…gained weight. However, I don’t think of myself as old, just extremely polluted!! Death is sounding possible. I may shape up yet for I do have a strong picture of my healthy looking parents in my mind who died at 90 and 98. My mother was a model in her young years and when she was 95 she was asked if she planned to live to be a hundred. She said, “of course, I can’t die now anyway, I don’t look good enough yet”….truly meant it….ever the model! THEY always ate well…some walking. Never “exercised”.

  5. Marjalyn Henson says:

    i have not been tapping to look better, just to move from overwhelm to calm and tapping for whatever comes up in the day. People are saying things like ” you’ve had work done” and ” did you have Botox.” It’s having a smile most of the time plus so much more to make my life better.

  6. anita says:

    interesting , important and instructive ! I keep tapping, let’s see the result !!!

  7. Tapping and using Product B has changed the body to live young again at 67! See http://marthamccarble.isagenix.com to add Product B! says:

    Thanks for tapping!

  8. Sandy Muller Willis says:

    This is great and so true. I am 74, own my own store and still work 6 days a week. I will keep tapping and trying to remember. Some days its hard when “the old bones ache”.
    I havent’ seen Big before, but found the clip very uplifting.

  9. Lynne says:

    Thank you for this!

  10. luigi says:

    nick
    thanks for your inspiration on staying young
    It’s great you connected to the scientific research of Dr Joe Dispenza.
    You provide us the opportunity to take it a step further on our own
    I’m so glad I took the opportunity to take your workshop back in October in Connecticut.
    Keep up the great work you are doing
    Peace & Blessings,
    Rev Luigi
    PS I’m 73 years old,but I’m living as if I’m 39(thanks to Jack Benny)

  11. ayesha says:

    Thank u for the script,will try,can i have a script to increase my healing powers and to attract money?

  12. Lynette says:

    Thank you very much for this! I have been feeling the strain of getting older and this article really helps

  13. ewald artacker says:

    Great Nick !
    it is time now to say that i like your tips and motivating tappings very much! i was 60recently but feeling better than 50 . absolutly right, the thinking is decisive. in addition, as the old chinese say: you are as old as your back is young (tai chi practitioner). Jessicas morning tapping guides me daily in a positive state on my way to office.
    Thank you very much dear Ortners !!

  14. Glad Hillman says:

    Thanks for this article. Recently I celebrated my 65th birthday and I realize I am falling into that “too old” trap. This tapping will help me snap out of it and get my sexy back! S=sensuous E=empowered X= Xcited

  15. Charlotte, UK says:

    Just having a mini-melt down at turning 40, so this couldn’t have come at a better time. Thanks Nick.

  16. Valerie says:

    Thanks so much Nick, this is a great one for me as sometimes I do feel not as young as I would like to. I will be using this EFT as often as I can. I do so look forward to opening your emails for the tips and advice you give.

  17. Susan Kilcoyne says:

    The old saying . Mind over matter !

  18. Kathy says:

    I went through my 50s believing that I was old. I became sicker and sicker. My boss thought I would have to retire on disability. So I completely revamped my life. Found a new job, left the country, and slowly began to examine my beliefs. I heard about a book, Live to be 100 and even though I didn’t read the book it got me thinking. Then during the World Tapping Summit I had some real breakthroughs. I began looking forward to being 100. I repeated this to anyone who would listen, or not! But I became grateful for my expected years and I healed and I felt younger, first in my 40s, then 30s then down to my teens. My energy came way up and now I state very clearly that that I am going to live another 60 years. Living to a certain age became too limiting! This experience proved to me the power of our beliefs but also that they can be changed. Thanks for reading. Happy tapping.

  19. gisela szekely says:

    This is so true our mind believes everything it hears if we are not being aware to the gut feelings. Things can appear so beautiful and totally fool us. Thank you for showing this on the internet. God bless.

  20. Linda Johnson says:

    Hi Nick, This couldn’t be more timely as I turn 75 on September 21st of this year. When I was a small girl, a psychic told me I was going to live a really long life and that I would live until I was 75. I am a psychotherapist and I know better but that prediction has been in the back of my mind. I went out today a bought, ‘You are a Placebo’ and have reminded myself to tap. BTW, yesterday I went out and bought myself a bike…the two wheeler kind…no training wheels! Many thanks for this post! In gratitude, Linda

  21. Birgitta says:

    Wonderful, just wonderful – “why not play the piano”!!!!

  22. Rocio says:

    I like it very much. It will be come part of my Daily routine

  23. Ingebrit says:

    Hi Nick
    Funny how and why many people often judge themselves so hard. I am 63 years young, I am an Air Purser in a Scandinavian Airline going into my 38th year.
    It is just a number in my mind – what matters is what meaning one attaches to one`s age. If you feel old and talk about the downsides being old all the time – YOU ARE GETTING OLD.
    I am thankful and grateful for my life, and for years I have been keeping myself active, done something different, changing my mindset as well, and being healthy which is my luck. Not all are that lucky, for which reason I highly recommend TFTand EFT, as very effective tools you may apply whenever and whereever you are:)
    I work part time as an Air Purser and have my own company – working as coach/TFT/EFT therapist/acupuncturist among other things. I apply the techniques with great success, and the best part of it is that people leave happier than when they arrive from into my practice.

  24. Marga Konig says:

    Nick, just to let you know how much I appreciate your blogs, your and your family’s commitment to helping people be more happy and healthy. I always look forward to opening your emails and you continually provide me with ideas and reminders to do tapping and as a result feel better more often and for a longer period of time.
    Thank you, Ortners!

  25. Olasgrises says:

    Thanks Nick for remember me I’m still Young!

  26. patrick says:

    tapping is great for my life I need to do tapping more often thanks nick

  27. Debbie says:

    I needed this today! Thank you. I tried playing two days ago (went down a slide), with the nephews and sustained an injury when I landed on my knee (full-force). I hurt my knee, my back and my neck from the force of the impact. My reflexes did not kick in to enable me to prevent this injury by rolling as soon as I hit the ground. I am doing Jessica’s program for weight loss and intend to be able to go down that slide by this time next year. I am going to practice rolling. LOL

  28. Rosa Muziotti says:

    Thank you Nick. I caught myself feeling older because my mind was telling me “Wow.You were born last century… A CENTURY AGO”. Identifying this thought and tapping it was a relief

Over 20 Million Tapping Meditations Played in Our App! Get Instant Access to our "Releasing Anxiety" and "Sleep Support: Quiet The Racing Mind" Tapping meditations.
Yes, I agree to receive email messages from The Tapping Solution & understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy.

Recent Posts
3 Things I Learned from Zach Braff
3 Things I Learned from Zach Braff Written by: Jessica Ortner
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Little Shifts
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Little Shifts Written by: Nick Ortner
Tapping World Summit 2024
Tapping World Summit 2024 Written by: Nick Ortner

Connect With Us on Social Media

Follow The Tapping Solution on Facebook or Instagram!


Follow the producer of the Tapping World Summit Nick Ortner on Facebook or Instagram!


Follow the host of the Tapping World Summit Jessica Ortner on Facebook or Instagram!


Follow the producer of the Annual Tapping World Summit Alex Ortner on Facebook or Instagram!


Close ×
Over 17 Million Tapping Meditations Played in Our App!
Get Instant Access to our "Releasing Anxiety" and "Sleep Support: Quiet The Racing Mind" Tapping meditations.
Yes, I agree to receive email messages from The Tapping Solution & understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy Policy.