There was a study in 1968 of exceptional elderly people in Holland who had successfully mastered the aging process. These wise elders had these characteristics:
- handled stress incredibly well
- were essentially optimistic and looked on the positive side
- had a sense of self-sufficiency
- were funny and had a good sense of humor
- enjoyed life and saw it as a great adventure
- were PRESENT and interested in something outside of themselves
- exercised daily
- meditated and prayed
- moved toward future positive outcomes
- able to reframe seemingly negative situations
- had valuable relationships and learned from different people
- had regular medical tests and took care of themselves
- were mentally flexible
- focused on what was possible rather than what wasn’t
Aging is not a disease; it’s a normal stage of a human life. It’s how we THINK about aging that makes it a problem. If we believe the thought viruses prevalent in our society, we will look for those so-called problems of aging. Our very powerful mind will, in fact, create the very problems we fear.
We have in our brain, something called a reticular activating system. Its’ job is to filter our experiences in support of what we THINK. For example, if on your way driving somewhere you start to think, I don’t want to hit any red lights, you’ll notice you hit almost (if not every) red light.
If you buy a black car, all of a sudden you’ll notice every black car on the road when previously you didn’t even notice them.
This means you need to have a positive mental attitude; see problems as challenges to be met and overcome rather than some insurmountable issue.
I love what Tom Hoobyar says, “Youth is a gift, designed primarily to encourage reproduction. But the advantages of aging are not a gift. The benefits are there, but we must work for them. We must be constantly asking ourselves, “What’s the meaning of this? How can this be useful and uplifting?”
…We can provoke and inspire others who follow us in life’s path, sharing our insights and reassuring them that life CAN get better as we age.
It’s the only way that getting older is any more rewarding than just beating the grim reaper for another day. And I personally think that life is designed to get better and better until our time is over.”
Throughout life, the brain has the ability to reorganize neural pathways based on new experiences.
At the molecular level, social and intellectual experiences have an impact on the function of your brain. So, you CAN transition from old habits to new, healthier ones.
Focus on asking for what you want rather than what you don’t want. It will make a world of difference in how you live your life. You can choose joy, or you can choose pain – your choice.
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