I was browsing around the internet yesterday and came across an article that I thought was very interesting. As is my normal behavior, I quickly found the "rabbit hole" as I delved further and further into the subject.
As a retired person, I am very interested in making my life meaningful and enjoyable for as long as possible. I have always been quite proactive--engaging in exercise, eating a good diet, taking supplements designed to protect my body, but I sometimes fail in the department of keeping optimistic.
It is because of this that I found this article so interesting. You can read this same article by clicking here, Aging With Optimism: Yale Study Links Positive Attitudes to Cognitive Restoration . Here is the paragraph that caught my attention: Older persons in the positive age-belief group who started the study with normal cognition were less likely to develop MCI over the next 12 years than those in the negative age-belief group, regardless of their baseline age and physical health. Maybe you will tell me what you think about it after you read it.
So after searching the internet and finding more articles, I decided to post about this topic here. Basically, here is what I found summarized, but please do check out the articles linked at the end of this post for the complete information.
Here are the 10 principles of positive aging: (7 Strategies To Age Successfully: Power Of Positive Aging)
- Acceptance: Accepting aging as a natural and positive part of life.
- Active engagement: Staying engaged in life through activities and relationships.
- Adaptability: Being open to change and adapting to new circumstances.
- Purpose: Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life.
- Personal growth: Continuously seeking opportunities for personal growth and development.
- Positive attitudes: Cultivating a positive outlook and attitudes towards aging.
- Physical activity: Engaging in physical activity to maintain health and well-being.
- Relationships: Building and maintaining meaningful relationships with others.
- Self-care: Practicing self-care to maintain physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Spirituality: Connecting with a higher power or sense of purpose to enhance overall well-being.
Benefits of Aging with Optimism:
1. Improved Mental and Emotional Well-being:
Aging with optimism can greatly benefit mental and emotional well-being. By actively cultivating a positive outlook, a person can experience:
- Reduced depression and anxiety: Fostering a positive mindset can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, enhancing her overall emotional well-being.
- Increased resilience: Optimism can strengthen resilience, allowing a bounce back more easily from life's challenges and setbacks.
- Enhanced self-esteem: A positive outlook fosters self-acceptance and self-compassion, leading to improved self-esteem and a greater sense of worth.
2. Heightened Sense of Purpose and Fulfillment:
Aging with optimism helps individuals find meaning and purpose in their lives, providing a renewed sense of fulfillment. Here's how it can be accomplished:
- Engaging in meaningful activities: By pursuing new interests, hobbies, or volunteering, discovering and nurturing a sense of purpose in your daily life.
- Celebrating accomplishments: Recognizing and celebrating achievements, whether big or small, reinforces a sense of fulfillment and gives you a positive perspective on life.
- Setting goals: Establishing new goals and aspirations keeps you motivated, excited, and engaged, providing a clear sense of direction and purpose.
3. Enhanced Physical Well-being:
Optimism and a positive mindset also have a direct impact on physical health. By incorporating specific practices into your routine, you can experience the following benefits:
- Improved immune system: A positive mindset can have a positive influence on the immune system, reducing the risk of illness and enhancing the body's ability to fight off infections.
- Better stress management: Cultivating optimism and mindfulness techniques can reduce stress levels, benefiting your cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
4. Enriched Social Connections:
By embracing optimism, you can enhance your social connections and alleviate feelings of loneliness. Here's how:
- Building new relationships: Actively participating in community activities, clubs, and volunteering opportunities allowing you to meet new people and forge meaningful connections.
- Strengthening existing relationships: Nurturing existing friendships and family bonds by staying connected and engaging in regular communication helps combat loneliness and enhances your support network.
- Sharing experiences: By maintaining a positive outlook, you become a source of inspiration and positivity for others, strengthening your connections and fostering a sense of belonging.
5. Embracing the Beauty of Aging:
Aging with optimism allows you to fully embrace and appreciate the unique gifts and opportunities that come with this phase of life. By approaching aging with positivity, she can:
- Embrace wisdom and experience: Recognizing the value of accumulated wisdom and life experience enables you to feel empowered and confident.
- Embody self-acceptance: By accepting yourself and embracing your age, you can let go of societal pressures and enjoy the freedom of being authentic.
- Inspire others: By radiating optimism and joy, you become a source of inspiration for others, challenging negative stereotypes associated with aging and encouraging others to live their lives to the fullest.
So, it seems that by making a few adjustments to my own outlook, I might be able to embrace being an optimistic old lady. That would be fine by me, and probably make my children happier.
All of these things are simply common sense, but it seems that in living life day-to-day, we forget them or let them take a back seat to other things going on in our lives. Now, after my deep dive on the internet, I truly understand that these things are the most important things I can be doing to make my live better; so I had better get with the program! What about you? Do you need to kick-start yourself into being more optimistic?
This post probably would be more appropriate on my other blog, Retire Happy and Healthy but since it was precipitated by falling into that "hole", I will leave it here. If you like this info, feel free to check out that blog where I post all kinds of neat stuff about retirement and growing older.
Here are some more articles you can read through on this topic:
Positive attitude about aging could boost health
Embrace Aging With Positive Thinking
A Positive Attitude About Aging May Help Reverse Memory Loss
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