Age - a complicated thing. Because we definitely want to grow old, but be old? "Old "- this word is often associated with negative qualities, almost a swear word. Not so for Greta Silver, born in 1948, who took responsibility for her happiness into her own hands at a young age. The author, YouTuber, podcaster, speaker, mentor and Best-Ager-Model, who has been clicked a million times, discovers old age much more as an inspiring phase of life, in which life know-how carries you and the stress and lack of time of the past are finally part of history. The entrepreneur, mother and grandmother likes to encourage others: her new book shows women what they can do in concrete terms to make themselves shine. Silver shares nutritional tips and her own recipes that cleanse and fill the body with energy, gives advice on the topic of care and explains how to recharge your inner resources, gain new strength and redefine beauty in old age practically and mentally. The Hamburg native is simply infectious with her joie de vivre, as ntv.de was able to experience firsthand during a fine lunch in Berlin's "Paris Bar".

ntv.de: Sitting across from me is a very natural 74-year-old woman who, if you look at photos over the years, you can say that she is getting more and more beautiful. Haven't you been tempted from time to time to "have something done"?

Greta Silver: Well, I decided a long time ago, when I saw the photo of an old Indian woman, her face all wrinkled, but yet so beautiful, so loving and full of wisdom, that I would never get upset about a wrinkle on my face again . It can't be that, I thought to myself. From then on, in my late 40s, I actually started to evade this dictation. I'm from Marilyn Monroe's hourglass day, then Twiggy - ridiculously skinny - and each of those idols should be done justice in some way. That's crazy.

And now we can be whoever we want?

In any case, a development can be observed. In my opinion, it could run faster, but things are progressing. Despite this, there are still far too many girls who have a schema in their heads of how they should be. That's still not good.

In any case, your daughter, who modeled as a student, swept you into the brave new modeling world, didn't she?

That's right, she's to blame for everything (laughs). Back then it was a mother-daughter job and she really had to persuade me. Luckily she did. I had quite strong images in my head that said to me: "Greta, no, you can't do that at your age." I didn't even tell my friends, it was that bad.

And what did you think of the pictures that came about at the end?

Cool. I looked completely different than usual. There was also money and it didn't hurt (laughs). In the end I registered with my daughter's agency and quickly got another job.

And that was for whom?

Then I was the grandmother in a commercial for a coffee manufacturer.

how old were you then

60.

Is that a difficult number?

Sure, of course. But what can you do? (laughs) I recently met an age researcher, Dr. Verena Klusmann, who has been leading and coordinating aging studies worldwide since 2017 - and what she has found is really impressive. We're getting exactly as old as we imagined, she says.

I have to think about that …

(laughs) If we have a positive attitude, we stay healthier and live longer, 7.6 years.

Then I would be 87.6 years old. I'll try to remember that and then, in my 88th year, pay attention to how I feel in late May, early June...

You have to look at it this way: there are 30 years between 60 and 90, just as many as between 30 and 60. Very few people have that on their radar.

But it's a totally different 30 years. And some die at 77. When my mother died at that age, it was like a slap in the face for me...

That's actually a cheek of life, at 77, very difficult as a relative. There must be time and space for this mourning. And yet you should remain confident. Brain research knows: Your brain serves up the images for your thoughts. So if you think: "But old age sucks", then you will also get the corresponding pictures. But if you think: "I'm excited to see what the future will bring," then you see other images and then you become brave and decisive.

What is the best way to achieve this mindset?

Most of them have also gone through difficult times in life, including me, of course. Then I sat down on the seat of my pants and realized a few things. I always wanted six children with my husband, and in the end I didn't get pregnant for three years. I was deeply saddened. Then we asked ourselves whether we wanted to adopt a child - in that month I became pregnant. I have to admit that I got a terrible fright because I had to ask myself whether I had changed physical processes with the power of my thoughts alone. I wrote my last two books about this merry-go-round of thoughts, and now I'm adding the topics of exercise and nutrition.

Your new book is called "Make yourself shine - beauty in old age"...

... yes, and I thought about why it's always more the young women who detox and do everything. We older people can do that too! We don't need magic powers for this and it doesn't have to be incredibly expensive. I always have more solid tricks in reserve. Baking soda in the bathtub against hyperacidity, for example.

And sport?

I never liked doing it (laughs). I always thought afterwards, yes, that was nice, but I was never looking forward to it like one of my sisters, for example. I always have to do a few exercises in between, secretly: ten knee bends in the bathroom or a hula hoop right after getting up.

You're not enrolled in a gym...

For heaven's sake, no. I dance Zumba in a gymnastics club. But I let that slide a bit during the Corona period.

You are grandmother - like?

Oh yes, I'd love to! The children can also call me grandma, that's a bit out of fashion. Being a grandma is an incredibly beautiful and warm additional side of my life. I enjoy it very much. You no longer look with your parents' eyes, you can be amazed in a completely different way.

Something else to marvel at: love. How about you there?

Love is an amazing force (laughs), but that's not what you meant, I know. I went into marriage with the motto "love makes no demands". And that certainly helped in many areas, because even though my husband crumbled away over the years, I stayed with him for another 23 years.

Hardly any woman would do that today, would she?

Yes, mainly because life without a man is excellent. But that's not the whole spectrum of life. I just didn't want to close for fear of injury, something is still howling deep inside me. One of my most important topics is therefore to make yourself vulnerable again, to say yes to someone and to life. Full of opportunities and without precautions.

Have you ever really built up walls?

Definitely as a young woman: as thick as prison walls, so that I could hardly move. I was filled with misgivings.

What got you out of there?

Brené Brown's TedX Talk "The Power of Vulnerability". And I myself. When the bomb hits, then it hits! Then you have to allow it. However, it's not as if my inbox is currently overflowing with inquiries (laughs). But I would like to have this openness - we will see what comes out of it.

are you looking around Or are men of the same age still looking for women who are 20 years their junior, whom they can, to put it bluntly, take care of a little longer when in doubt?

I'm not looking, that's good. But it doesn't seem to have written on my forehead: "I would definitely accept the invitation to tea." Nobody is asking right now. But: Everyone is responsible for their own happiness! A relationship is of course a kind of icing on the cake. I've really chewed through the topics of masculinity and femininity and then realized some time ago that it's my own thing when I associate characteristics such as service, humility or devotion with femininity and also have negative connotations. But words like assertiveness are positive and masculine. Then I thought, something isn't going quite right in my head here, and I had to reach out and get the words back.

For example?

Service: When what I do serves someone, it doesn't mean I have to get on my knees in front of another person, it means I'm king of the road. And then this comparison "God let the men fall a little short, but on the other hand endowed them with the greatest qualities, which I would also like to have" - ​​something is wrong.

So you never stop learning.

Yes, even at 74 you can still find out for yourself!

On YouTube, do you sometimes get "shitstorms" there?

Hardly. But a young man once asked what I old woman was doing here. I answered him very politely: "Show you what exciting things you can do in old age." He then replied that by the time he was 34 he would hit the tree anyway. There's not much you can do about it, I don't classify it as hating or bashing. It's just bad for the other person. My community is great! I sometimes feel like they see my videos as something new in their lives, as inspiration. There are also students who write to me.

What is it then?

One wrote to me because he had a bad conscience, I had talked about it once. He asked how he should behave after he stole and felt very uncomfortable. I answered him, he acted, everything was fine again. Giving a straw out of a supposedly hopeless situation makes me happy. And if I can give young people a bit of stability.

Sabine Oelmann spoke to Greta Silver