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A Positive Attitude Can Determine How Well You Age

A senior african american couple enjoy an evening on the town with ice cream

 

Many of us, when we face challenges in life, aren’t interested in people telling us to “look on the bright side” or to keep a positive attitude. We want to be acknowledged for our pain and suffering and validated for feeling sad, angry or lonely. When the challenges in life create hardship, it’s entirely appropriate to have negative emotions and to express them.

But we also know people who seem to live their entire lives in a constantly unhappy state. They tend to be unhealthy and always have something to complain about. And numerous scientific studies have shown that their negative attitude can actually impact their health and well-being. A study from Yale showed that negative beliefs about aging may be linked to brain changes related to Alzheimer’s disease – specifically, people who had more negative thoughts about aging had a significantly greater number of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, both of which are associated with Alzheimer’s.

Many of us have negative associations with growing older, yet research shows how important a positive attitude really is in improving quality of life. Another study from Yale University demonstrated that positive attitudes about aging could extend one’s life by 7-1/2 years – a greater lifespan gain than low cholesterol, low blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, or even from not smoking.

Repetitive thoughts – such as “Getting older is for the birds!” or “Old age comes with pain and suffering” – form neural pathways in the brain. The more you think them, the more ingrained they become in your psyche and your unconscious mind will continue playing these thoughts over and over until they become true.

Fortunately, you can “rewire” your brain by actively thinking positive thoughts and focusing your attention on the good things in your life. While we don’t always have control over the things that happen to us, we do control our response to them. Here are some ways you can help “reprogram” your brain into thinking more positively.

Be conscious of your thoughts

Your thoughts are very powerful. The first step to reprogram your brain is to be conscious of them. If you find yourself thinking “Life is hard,” notice what you’re thinking and choose another thought to replace it. You may choose to shift your thoughts to “Life is hard and I continue to experience joy every day” or “Life is a blast and the challenges I face simply make me stronger.” If you change your thoughts, you can form new pathways in the brain which may, in turn, change your experience of life.

Start your day with gratitude

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Likewise, mornings are the most important time of day to work on creating a positive attitude, as it can set the tone for the entire day. Get up early enough that you can prepare for your day leisurely. Acknowledge the beauty of the day and all you have to be grateful for. When you start your day with gratitude, you’ve wired your brain to notice the good in your life.

Surround yourself with people and things that support a positive attitude

People can take on other people’s energy without even being aware of it. If you find yourself feeling negative, find some positive people to hang out with. Read a book with a positive message or listen to music that inspires you.

Focus your attention on the good in your life
We all have something to be thankful for. Your job is simply to discover those things and acknowledge them. Once you start focusing on the good things in your life, you’ll start attracting more and more things to be thankful for.

Categories: Healthy Aging