THINKING POSITIVELY ABOUT OLD AGE

Thoughts are powerful. A thought is like a seed. Once planted in the mind, and given the right environment to grow, it will thrive and develop into something concrete. From thought to reality. When a thought is translated into action, and sustained through commitment and perseverance, it will bring you the results you want.

This applies to ageing too. We are all familiar with inspirational quotes on ageing.

~ None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
~ How I feel about myself is more important than how I look.
~ When it comes to staying young, a mind-lift beats a face-lift any day.


It's not just about looking youthful at whatever age. More importantly, older adults who remain 'young-at-heart', who adopt a positive outlook on life are more likely to enjoy better health and longer life span. Ever wonder why some folks complain constantly of aches and pain, and seem to have endless health problems, while others remain active, healthy and happy even as they enter their 70s and beyond?

Keeping fit and active - positive age stereotypes.

The key lies in our beliefs. Positive beliefs produce positive outcomes. Negative beliefs produce negative outcomes. This is especially so when it comes to what psychologists call 'age stereotypes', that is, the beliefs people have about old age. This has an important effect on their health.

"When stereotypes are negative — when seniors are convinced becoming old means becoming useless, helpless or devalued — they are less likely to seek preventive medical care and die earlier, and more likely to suffer memory loss and poor physical functioning, a growing body of research shows.

When stereotypes are positive — when older adults view age as a time of wisdom, self-realization and satisfaction — results point in the other direction, toward a higher level of functioning." (Extract from 'Older People Become What They Think', New York Times. Click here to read the full article.)

More research to check out if you are interested:

• 'Association Between Positive Age Stereotypes and Recovery From Disability in Older Persons' - from The Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)
• 'Longevity increased by positive self-perceptions of aging' - from The Journal of Personal and Social Psyschology

It's time we changed how we view old age. If we embrace it positively, we will enjoy better health and longer life. If we continue to think negatively about growing old, we are likely to spend our old age feeling grouchy and bitter, and facing poor health.

“If you live to be one hundred, you’ve got it made. Very few people die past that age.” ~ George Burns