Rusty knees, rusty back … rusty attitude. There’s much you can do to stave off old man time as you get up in years … and a lot of it is fun too! Who wants to read about exercise and diet all the time? Not us! That’s why we’ve put together this power-pack of ideas that’ll keep you as young as the day is long – no matter what your watch or calendar tell you. So, stick with us. Whether you’re over 50 or are a young whipper-snapper, if you’re looking for a way to explore your curiosity for life, we’ve got you covered.
- Laugh: Laughter is indeed good medicine. It’s also an easy habit to indulge. Go to a comedy club, watch your favorite comedies, listen to comedy stations on Pandora Radio, or tell your own jokes! Ever think about standup? There are open mic nights everywhere … !
- Travel: Whether it’s a jaunt to a neighboring town, state or country, getting out there is good for you. So, plan a trip, and take it! Or, better yet … don’t plan it … just go! The French have a wonderful word for just kinda’ hanging about and exploring one’s own surroundings. Be that person and have fun doing it. 😉
- Learn: Take a class! Do a crossword puzzle – anything to keep that brain of yours in motion. The American Alzheimer’s Association suggests we keep our brain active. Sounds like a good plan. Call your local community college and ask for a course catalog if you don’t get one delivered to your house. Or, try meetup.com to team up with community members interested in trying out new skills, games, whatever. Learning IS fun, especially when you’re not getting a grade for it.
- Eat: Try new foods. Come on, you know you want to. Even if you don’t want to, try new foods. The exploration is good for you for all of the above reasons – you’re almost guaranteed one moment of laughter pronouncing from the menu, you’ll be “traveling,” and learning about new cultures. Can’t beat it.
- Move: Okay, we said we weren’t going to talk about exercise … we lied. That’s all we’re going to say though … you know what to do from here.
- Calm: Try something that gets you to relax. Take a walk (see, moving is easy!). Sit alone for a few minutes anywhere you find peaceful, and just chill out. If you want to call it meditating, go right ahead – it’s okay if you don’t. Just unplug, and do it often. You’ll be amazed at how well it centers you
- Commiserate: Call your friends. Meet them for the beverage of your choice. If you don’t have friends, find some. It’s not as hard as you think. Humans are social creatures and we need to be around other people. So, get out there and find your tribe!
- Consult: Not ready for any sort of tribe at all? Depression hurts. And, there are professionals who can help us work through life when we need them. Call your general practitioner and ask for a referral for someone near you.
- Eliminate: Speaking of centering yourself, consider eliminating things that remove you from a place of well-being. Too much information, food, alcohol, negative friends, technology – all of these things can take a toll on you. If you can eliminate drains like these, the cumulative effect will be very noticeable, and well worth the focus required to get there.
- Schedule: Finally, even though we’ve encouraged you to get out and explore your world without a plan, sometimes a plan is required when we’re doing something more than just stepping outdoors for a quick walk around the neighborhood. New habits often require planning and scheduling because in our busy day-to-day lives, we just forget to start (and stick with) new projects. So, consider carrying around a small paper calendar, or place your things to do/try on your phone. Then follow through on them like you would any checklist. After a week or two of following through on your schedule, you’ll be well on your way to carving out a patterned way to live life to its fullest.
So, there you have it. Bunches of ideas you can put into motion right away that’ll help you stay young, vibrant and at the top of your game. Stay young, my friend!
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