Embrace Aging With Positive Thinking

Embrace Aging With Positive Thinking

There are many benefits of positive thinking, including stress reduction, improved immunity, and a lower risk for heart disease. But did you know that keeping a positive outlook can help you live longer, too? Here’s what research says about positive thinking and aging, and what you can do to reap the rewards.

Add Years to Your Life

Studies show that how you perceive aging and your life as a whole affects longevity. A 2019 study found that positive thinking can result in an 11–15% longer lifespan and a stronger likelihood of living to age 85 or older. This effect remained after other factors such as age, gender, income, depression, and health status were controlled.

Look Forward to Aging

Research on the topic has found that people who have a positive outlook on aging while they are young, rather than dreading growing old, have a greater chance of living longer. That’s because adjusting your opinion on aging while you’re still young can build a positive perspective that can have a tremendous effect on your life expectancy.

Improve Resiliency

Findings suggest that positive thinking about aging can increase a person’s will to live, making them more resilient to illness and more proactive about health. Those with a positive outlook are also likely to experience less stress, reducing their likelihood of developing chronic diseases or disorders.

Related: 8 Ways To Cultivate Resilience In Yourself During Tough Times

Find Insight as You Age

Our society tends to prize youth and beauty, while messages about aging tend to emphasize the negative aspects. But, like fine wine, people should get better as they age. Experience, combined with maturity, gives older people great insight. They’re often more in touch spiritually and they prioritize depth in their life. By following a simple, healthy lifestyle you can preserve your health and energy through life.

Other Markers of Healthy Aging

In addition to positive thinking, there are lifestyle factors that can add years to your life, including exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a nutrient-dense diet, consuming only moderate amounts of alcohol (if any), and not smoking, all of which can help extend lifespan by 12–14 years.

While studies point to living longer, they don’t often discuss the improved quality of life that comes with it. But as the field of positive psychology is exploring, beyond increased lifespan, positive thoughts and emotions can contribute tremendously to happiness so you can enjoy a richer, more satisfying life.

Related; 30 Things to Start Doing for Yourself To Become Happier

How to Embrace Positive Thinking

Like meditation, yoga, or any self-care ritual, staying positive is a practice. Fortunately, the tools required are free and can be done on your own at your pace. Here are a few ways to consciously cultivate positive thinking in your daily life:

1. Keep a gratitude journal: 

No matter the format you choose—brief lists in your phone or longer entries written in a notebook—a gratitude journal can be a powerful way to connect to your emotions and relieve stress. The subject matter can vary, but the key is consistency. Maintaining a regular practice will help develop a new way of thinking so you can easily identify and stop negative thoughts when they arise.

Related: Attitude Of Gratitude: How The Universal Law of Gratitude Can Help You

2. Repeat positive affirmations: 

If you say something enough times, you’re more likely to believe it. That’s the idea behind positive affirmations, statements with intention repeated numerous times to make them a part of your thinking, such as “I am feeling more peaceful each day” or “I can handle whatever comes my way.” It’s important to keep these affirmations rooted in reality. Your subconscious may flag far-fetched statements, putting you back in a negative state of mind.

3. Practice loving-kindness meditation: 

Studies have shown that loving-kindness meditation can significantly increase a positive attitude. While there are variations to the practice, the common theme is focusing on positive phrases that evoke self-compassion as well as empathy for others, using statements like, “May I be happy” and “May you be safe.”

4. Spend time with other positive thinkers: 

Positive Thinking Can Be Contagious

The saying goes, “You are the company you keep.” So it makes sense that when you associate with other optimists, you tend to feel uplifted, happy, and supported. Take note of your emotions when you’re around friends and family. You may need to establish boundaries with those who bring your positive energy down.

Related: 12 Tips To Self-Love And Compassion

Keep in mind that positivity is a choice—and not always an easy one.

Life’s obstacles can sometimes make it difficult to maintain a sunny perspective, and you may have days when you don’t have any positivity in you. But with practice, you can build a foundation that helps you shift negative thoughts and start noticing the benefits to your physical, mental, and emotional health.


Article sources

Li Y, Pan A, Wang D et al. Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Circulation. 2018;138(4):345-355. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.117.032047
Belenguer-Varea Á, Tarazona-Santabalbina F, Avellana-Zaragoza J, Inglés M, Mas-Bargues C, Martínez-Reig M. Oxidative stress and exceptional human longevity: systematic review. Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 2019. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2019.09.019.
Chopik W, Bremner R, Johnson D, Giasson H. Age differences in age perceptions and developmental transitions. Front Psychol. 2018;9. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00067.
Hofmann SG, Grossman P, Hinton DE. Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011;31(7):1126-32. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.07.003.
Ingrand I, Paccalin M, Liuu E, Gil R, Ingrand P. Positive perception of aging is a key predictor of quality-of-life in aging people. PLoS ONE. 2018;13(10):e0204044. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0204044.
Lee L, James P, Zevon E et al. Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity in 2 epidemiologic cohorts of men and women. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2019;116(37):18357-18362. doi:10.1073/pnas.1900712116.
Zeng Y, Shen K. Resilience significantly contributes to exceptional longevity. Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res. 2010;2010:1-9. doi:10.1155/2010/525693.

Written by: Mark Stibich, PhD
Originally appeared on verywellmind.com and is republished here with a Creative Commons license.

Embrace Aging With Positive Thinking pin

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *



Up Next

3 Signs You Are Eccentric, And 3 Reasons That’s A Good Thing

Signs You Are Eccentric, And Reasons That’s A Good Thing

Are you a little different from the crowd? If you’re nodding yes, you might just be eccentric, and you should embrace that with pride! In this post, we’ll explore the signs you are eccentric and why that’s not really a bad thing.

KEY POINTS

Eccentric people tend to be original thinkers with a strong sense of self and less social anxiety.

Eccentric people stand out because they’re more authentic and less interested in conforming to social norms.

Signs you are eccentric include shrugging off expectations, defying peer pressure, and attracting haters.



Up Next

Mental Health and Holidays: How to Safeguard Your Mental Health Amidst Holiday Hustle And Bustle

Mental Health and Holidays: Strategies For Wellness

Holiday season is usually presented as a time of happiness, enjoyment and unity. However, for many people, this season may also trigger anxiety, grief or depression. Let’s learn about mental health and holidays.

In our excitement to meet up with family members and carry out different celebrations such as Christmas festivities, it is important to put our mental health first and think about the impact the holiday season might have on us psychologically.

Today we will explore the issue of mental health during the holidays highlighting holiday blues, stress and strategies that can be used to make it easier for you through this period.

Mental Health and Holidays 



Up Next

What To Do Alone On Christmas: 17 Merry Tips For A Warm Solo Christmas 

What To Do Alone On Christmas: Solo Celebration Tips

Do you feel alone on Christmas? Do you keep wondering what to do alone on Christmas? Christmas, a time that is often associated with love, family and happiness can sometimes be the source of loneliness. 

Some individuals are forced to spend their Christmas alone due to different reasons. However, staying alone does not mean you have to be sad during the holidays. In fact, this might be an opportunity for contemplation, relaxation and finding unique ways of experiencing joy.

Let’s explore what to do alone on Christmas day and experience the holiday spirit and happiness. 

Why Do We Feel Lonely at Christmas

Before we can delve into what to do alone at Christmas, let



Up Next

How To Use Binaural Beats To Let Go of Fear, Pain, And Overthinking

How To Use Binaural Beats? Best Binaural Beats Benefits

Ever wondered how to use binaural beats correctly? Find the best ways to heal, relieve fear, pain, and excessive thinking. Your journey begins here!

There are a stunningly vast array of benefits you can experience from listening to binaural beats – a fascinating form of soundwave therapy.

When one of America’s most famous living philosophers, Ken Wilber, was asked what the average person could do to raise their consciousness, he replied:

There’s already a technology that can be used to raise human consciousness. It’s called binaural beats.



Up Next

What Is A Backhanded Compliment? 10 Examples That Show Why It’s The Worst Thing Ever

What Is A Backhanded Compliment

Imagine stepping out the door feeling like you’re on top of the world. You’ve put in effort into your look, and you’re brimming with a sense of self-assuredness. Then, someone slides up to you with a smile and says: “You’ve lost weight! You look much prettier now.” And there goes your self-esteem. Was that supposed to be a compliment? Welcome to the bittersweet world of backhanded compliments. But what is a backhanded compliment?

Backhanded compliments are, perhaps, the most socially acceptable way to lace negativity with a bow of positivity, delivered with a smirk hiding under a smile. It’s the subtlety of these remarks that makes them so intriguing and so infuriating.



Up Next

How Can I Stop Obsessing Over Someone? 7 Proven Steps to Reclaim Your Happiness!

How Can I Stop Obsessing Over Someone? Proven Steps!

Ever been in a situation where you just can’t shake the thoughts about someone? Wondering, “How Can I Stop Obsessing Over Someone?” Trust me, we’ve all been there, and it’s not easy. 

The good news is there are ways to break free from this cycle. In this article, we’ll explore seven simple steps that can help you stop obsessing over someone starting right now. 

So, let’s dive into the core of this issue and understand the obsessive love meaning and how it can impact our lives.

Obsessive Love Meaning

When you can’t get someone out of your head and you mistake those intense feelings for love, that’s what we call obsessive love. 



Up Next

When You Finally Begin To Heal: 4 Signs You Are on the Right Track With Your Healing Journey

When You Begin To Heal: Signs You Are On The Right Track

The path of healing is not an easy journey to be on, but it is only when you begin to do the healing work is when you finally begin to heal. This article is going to explore the signs you are healing, so that you know you are on the right track.

There is a lot of focus on shadow work when you begin upon your healing journey, and for good reason. After all, how can you know what needs to be healed if you are too afraid to visit the shadows? Because much of my work is focused on guiding and supporting women through their healing journey I tend to write a lot about shadow work and shadow work processes.