Mindful aging: What no one tells you about getting older

I can't keep track of how many I have recently talked to that have concerns about their aging. People's worries vary, but mostly they all seem to be negative. The constant message that I have been listening to involves expecting things to turn for the worse as you get older.

I don't like to tell people my age. Not because I'm embarrassed to admit how old I am. It is because I don't think it matters. Anyone that knows me also knows the It is common to forget how old I am.

Recently I was having a conversation with my husband, and he mentioned his age. I asked him, is that how old you are? He replied: Yes! How old do you think I am? I said: I wasn't sure. I don't; think about those things. My lack of attention to my age and my husband's age might sound ridiculous, but it's true. I'm not eager to keep track of how old I am, but I genuinely believe that Is not important.

Researcher Ellen Langer created an experiment in which she recruited seniors that were 75 or more years old. Her research explores self-perceptions and the aging process. Langer investigates whether changes in the seniors' mindsets could influence and change the aging process.

The seniors experienced a 1-week retreat outside of Milan, Italy. Participants were exposed to situations and lifestyles that they had from twenty years ago. They had to pretend that they were living according to how they felt 20 years ago. The research created scenarios they were likely to encounter in their past.

From her research, Langer found that when assessed, the seniors improved their physical health, cognition, psychological, and age appearance. They looked and behaved like their younger selves. Creating a different mindset is everything.

Understanding your mindset's power can help you see what areas of your life you are limiting yourself just by the way you think. Your thoughts create brain chemicals that promote health or illness. Creating new brain patterns can change your body's biology.

Begin with being aware of your thoughts and the message being them. When you worry too much about your aging, what are the fears behind your thoughts?

Consider creating new thoughts, and you will make different brain chemistry.

Imagine if someone asks you today to participate in Langer's experiment and told you to pretend to be 20 years younger. How would your day look like then? How will you deal with problems or challenges you are facing. Could you see yourself doing things differently from how you do them today?

Imagine and visualize how that world will be like right now.

Here are some suggestions that you want to consider if you feel like you have a pessimistic view of aging.

10 Tips to overcome ageism

1. Ignore what society and our culture says about aging.
   
2. Watch less news, TV, and media.
   
3. Stay present when worries about the future arise.
   
4. Create more social connections and get involved in your community.
   
5. Repel the idea of retiring and never retire
   
6. Stay active in whatever way you can at any age.
   
7. Laugh and stop taking life so seriously.
   
8. Remove habits that reinforce ageism. Stop telling people your age and asking for people's age.
   
9. Feed your mind with new ideas and never stop learning.
   
10. Be careless, and have more fun.
    

Here is today’s quote:

"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.”-Mark Twain

And my one question for you is…

Which one of my tips will help you overcome ageism in your life?

If you like this podcast, please subscribe or leave a review. And if you would like more information or want to CONNECT with me, visit happymeditator.com.