Age Is Just a Number – You’re As Old As You Feel

The anti-aging market is one of the most profitable businesses today. Its focus is not just on beauty, but also on longevity. We are constantly bombarded with advertisements for countless anti-aging creams, soaps, supplements, and treatments that can supposedly keep us young inside and out.

However, getting older remains a fact of life. No one has found the magic pill to turn back the clock or provide us with immortality.

So the question still remains, what is the secret to living a long and fulfilled life?

Perhaps the closest we can get to an answer lies with the super-agers. Don’t be surprised to come across an octogenarian running a marathon or actively pursuing a brand new career.

It is wonderful to know that there are people over 100 years of age who still have goals they are striving for. If you ask them what’s the secret, they are more than willing to share the secrets to their longevity.

Here’s what you may hear from them.

Think Young

When we talk about aging, the phrase ‘You are as old as you feel’ often comes up in the conversation. That’s because there is great truth to this saying. Many super-agers defy stereotypes about aging. They set themselves apart from the norm and show that age is just a number. This mindset leads them to be more physically active and cognitively robust, for longer.

In our highly agist society, it is easy to accept the trappings of aging. However, simply not thinking of yourself as getting old improves your mindset. A young perspective allows you to believe that you can still engage in various physical activities that are not generally associated with seniors.

A youthful perspective enables you to see signs of aging in a more positive light, making you more open to challenges and new experiences. Giving in to the belief that you are old and have limited time left can make you neglect taking care of yourself as well as you could. For example, some individuals believe that since they are getting older (and will continue to age) they will skip eating healthy meals or exercising.

They may begin to indulge in an unhealthy diet, thinking that there is no point in eating healthy foods because what’s the point. This can make them more susceptible to developing life-threatening diseases, such as diabetes and heart and cholesterol problems.

Losing sight of one’s purpose in life can also negatively affect your mindset. Many seniors that have retired lose their sense of purpose and identity. They need to find it again, and they can with a young mindset.

Developing a Young Mindset

Feeling young starts with developing a youthful mindset. To develop positive beliefs about aging, be more open to new challenges and experiences. Engaging in activities that can challenge you, such as developing new skills, learning new information, or socializing with different people, helps you to feel younger.

Another way to develop a young mindset is to cultivate a ‘young’ healthy lifestyle. Do what young people do, not what you think old people should be doing. Regular exercise and engaging in physical activities not only keep us fit but can boost our mood, and make us feel and look better. Apart from exercising, try meditation to help develop a more youthful mindset.

Practicing mindfulness also helps to change your mindset to a more youthful one. Being mindful makes you focus on the present, so think of yourself as young and vibrant. You are in control of your life and your destiny.

There is no way we can stop our birthdays, but we can keep our minds and body young, and it all begins in the mind.