Getting old is a fact of life, but how you approach aging is entirely up to you. As it turns out, your mindset and outlook have just as much to do with how well you age as physical factors. You can actually slow down the aging process and live a longer, happier life by changing your mindset. Here are my top ten anti-aging tips for a healthier attitude.
- Be Grateful – Focusing on what is good and positive in your life, rather than what is wrong or what you have lost, is a way to stay happy and fight against the march of time. Living in the present and being hopeful about the future, rather than always looking and longing, for the past, keeps you optimistic and driven. Practice a daily gratitude exercise to remind you of all your gifts.
- Stay Active – Keeping your body and mind active, regardless of your age, is an essential anti-aging strategy. Moving your body regularly promotes healthy blood flow, which is great for your brain. As you age, you lose muscle mass naturally, so keeping yourself strong as you grow older will allow you to enjoy life more fully. Adopt a mindset that activity is medicine, and you’ll continue to have a healthy, happy life for many more years.
- You Are What you Eat – If you really want to fight the signs of aging, look at your diet. Eating foods high in antioxidants helps fight free radical damage, and eating a diet that is based primarily on whole, plant-based foods is the healthiest approach to living longer. Eat the rainbow by reaching for colorful fruits and vegetables whenever you can. Taking care of your body means it will be around to take care of you for decades to come.
- Embrace Aging – Those with a more positive mindset about aging actually live longer than those who are full of dread or negative emotions about getting older. Remember that getting older is better than the alternative, so embrace all the opportunities you have in life and have fun with it!
- Have Strong Beliefs – Those who hold strong beliefs, whether they be religious, spiritual or some other form of ideas, live longer than non-believers. Beliefs are what gound your purpose in life, and without purpose, it can be hard to find the will to remain positive over the years.
- Work Out Your Brains – As you age, your cognitive capacity tends to slow and narrow. One way to combat this is to keep your brain active. Exercising your mind helps keep your neural pathways growing and developing, which is what you want in an aging brain. Pick up a new hobby, play word games, learn a new language, or start taking classes in a new topic. Whatever you do, don’t get bored.
- Be Positive – Those who embrace a positive attitude and try to limit the negative thoughts in their life are naturally more vibrant as they age. Negative thoughts have a way of infecting all your thoughts and behaviors, so get those under control as soon as they pop up. Stay positive, and you’ll be able to find the energy to enjoy your life at any age.
- Have A Purpose – We all need to feel that our lives have meaning and purpose. Whether you are still working or have retired, having a purpose is what keeps you motivated and young at heart. Your purpose may shift over time with your responsibilities in life, but always make sure you have a calling that guides your life.
- Don’t Be Afraid Of Death – While no one is suggesting it’s healthy to sit around thinking about death all the time, but those who are aware of and think about their mortality now and then are much more likely to make healthier life choices and to make the most of opportunities they are given in life.
- Embrace Challenges – Challenges in life are opportunities to learn and grow. Those who embrace this type of growth mindset see possibility in nearly everything in their lives and embrace experiences for the adventure they may bring. Embrace aging as a challenge to be met, and you’ll soon find all the wonderful things you have to learn from getting older.
While this article is about the mental aspect of aging, I am working on some articles with a local doctor and medspa for an upcoming series on anti-aging techniques. Come back and see what she has to say about how we can slow down the effects of time. We are all looking for ways to neutralize or counteract the aging process.
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