Healthy Aging Begins with Positive Thinking

My Grandma was one of my most favorite people on the planet!  She was my own personal cheerleader, my confidant, my friend.  We could talk for hours about everything and nothing and it was all just magical.  As she grew older I was so curious what that felt like for her.  She was always very glamorous and kept herself beautifully.  So when she celebrated her 80th birthday I decided I really wanted to know.  I quietly asked her, “Grandma, how does it feel to be getting older?”  She looked at me and became very quiet.  She sat down on the bed next to me and held my hand in hers and said, “In my mind, I am 16 meeting your Grandpa for the very first time.  But my body doesn’t want to cooperate!” We both fell back on the bed laughing and laughing. 

There is power in positive thinking!  Have you ever noticed that some loved ones continue to feel good and stay active well into their senior years and others appear to age rapidly and experience increased health problems? Positive thinking may play a significant role. Research published in Psychology and Aging, a journal from the American Psychological Association (APA), shows that while family genetics and overall physical health play a part in how people age, positive thinking can also play an important role in healthy aging.  Certain hormones are activated in our bodies whenever we experience stress. With occasional stress comes occasional hormone production; no big deal. But if we are constantly stressed then our bodies are constantly producing these hormones and serious damage can be done while we age.  

A key to avoiding stress and the negative thoughts associated with it is to remember that it does not define us; we all have emotional lapses. For most of us, the transition to a positive attitude consists of a bunch of small steps. What are some of the steps we can all take to maintain a positive attitude? 

Step one; get the proper amount of sleep.  It impacts our attitude towards life and is critical to maintaining and improving our energy levels. Proper sleep helps maintain the body’s immune system and improves the emotional and mental clarity we need in order to focus and maintain a positive attitude.  

Step two; develop a healthy attitude. There are so many ways we may go about developing a positive attitude. Let’s keep in mind that it is the simple things in life that provide us with the most pleasure and stimulation. If you feel like you are dealing with an overwhelming amount of stress, do easy things that you enjoy. Relax. Read a book, connect with an old friend or go to a movie.  If you are concerned about your health or the health of your loved ones, an emergency alert system can help you have peace of mind. Only when we treat ourselves well, only when we create free time can we hope to maintain a positive attitude.  

Step three; help others.  This can be as simple as smiling at someone you pass on the street, or giving someone a compliment.  Maybe you want to volunteer and become part of an organization. Helping others enriches our own lives, and improves our general attitude. We must pay attention to the people around us.  

Step four; always come from a place of self-love. We are only human and we must learn to accept our own shortcomings.  So often our inner critic is part of our daily unhappiness and has been our entire lives. It makes us critical of ourselves and the people around us.  It may not be easy, but we cannot allow our inner critic to overwhelm our thoughts.  We may need the most help with this step; effectively turning a negative into a positive.  

Remember, with a positive attitude, odds are we will be happier and healthier and for certain it is always best to be safe, not sorry.  

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