HOW TO STAY YOUNG AND HAPPY

HOW TO STAY YOUNG AND HAPPY

Youth refers to how you look; it’s a reference to your body. Youthfulness is a reference to your life energy—a much nicer thing to strive for than your long lost (sorry) youth.

What does it mean to be "psychologically young"? It's not about wrinkle

 creams, plastic surgery, or injections to make you look younger. It's about having a positive mental attitude, staying cognitively and physically active, and having a high-quality life.

How long you live and the quality of your life are, to a great extent, under your control. Apart from all the studies that show how lifestyle choices such as exercise and diet play a role in longevity, there's also a good body of research that links positive attitude with the number of years people live.

 For example, one study involving 100,000 women found that women who were optimists were 30 percent less likely to die of heart disease than pessimists.

Another study found that optimists were less likely to become frail. Frailty was defined as impaired strength or endurance, balance problems, as well as vulnerability to trauma and other stresses.

Want to live longer and stay younger as you age? Here are different ways to stay psychologically young, add years to your life, and boost the quality of those years.

 1. Throw out nonessential numbers! This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you pay him/her.  

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

 3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

 4. Enjoy the simple things.

 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

 6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive. 

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.  

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.  

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

 10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

11. ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

12) Don’t think too much. Thinking takes energy. Thinking can make you look old.

13) Don’t talk too much. Most people either talk or do. Better to do.

14) When you work, work for 40 minutes then stop for 10 minutes. When you look at something all the time, it can damage your eyes and also your internal organs and peace.

15) When you are happy, you need to control your happiness, if you lose control then you damage your lung energy.

16) Don’t worry too much or get angry because this damages your liver and your intestines.

17) When you eat food don’t eat too much, always make sure you are not quite full as this can damage your spleen. When you feel a bit hungry then eat a little.

18) When you do things, take your time, don’t hurry too much. Remember the saying “Hasten slowly you will soon arrive.”

19) Develop a positive mental attitude.

How you feel about getting older can actually affect how long you live. This gets tested more as you age because of an emphasis on youthfulness in our culture. You must have goals and look forward to the future, irrespective of your actual age

20) Don't act your age.

You are only as old as you feel. The key to psychological health is how you feel inside, not your chronological age or your physical appearance. Feeling old is a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, if a person genuinely feels too old to do a physical activity, such as hiking a mountain, she is apt to cut back on the activity.

21) Resist mobility aids until you need them.

Don't use a scooter or a motorized wheelchair unless you really need to. It's too easy to become dependent on such mobility aids because they are easier than doing the work our bodies need and crave. If walking tires you out, walk slowly and walk often to build up your strength and endurance. The more often you exercise and use your muscles, the less tired you'll feel

22) Continue working in retirement.

Many studies have shown a correlation between early retirement and earlier death. A recent one showed that for every extra year of early retirement, workers lost about two months of life expectancy. Many people can't wait to retire, because their jobs are stressful and they don't take enough vacations. But having a job gives you something to look forward to. You learn new things through work and develop social networks, important activities to have throughout life. Work, actual or volunteer, is in part what keeps people living to advanced ages. If your full-time career is too taxing, consider working part-time, switching to a less stressful job, or volunteering.

23) When you have health problems, keep your chin up.

Even if you have a disease or illness that's impacting your life, having a positive attitude will keep you healthier and could extend your life. One team ofresearchers analyzed 35 studies of populations with existing health conditions. The people who had optimistic outlooks during the duration of the studies had significantly less risk of dying than those with pessimistic attitudes.

24) See aging as an opportunity.

Self-perception of aging has a greater impact on survival than blood pressure and cholesterol levels. That's what one recent study found when the researchers measured the functional health of participants aged 50 or older over the course of 18 years. The ones who lived longest demonstrated a positive outlook about their future and their ability to function effectively. Those who believed aging was no big deal were able to climb stairs, do housework, work full-time, go out socially, and do other activities associated with younger people. And they lived 7.5 years longer than those with less positive ideas about aging.

25) Ignore negative stereotypes about aging.

A study out of North Carolina State University found that negative stereotypes have a negative effect on memory performance. People were exposed to negative words associated with aging, such as "cranky," "senile," or "feeble," or positive aging words such as "active," "accomplished," and "knowledgeable." Adults 57-82 performed more poorly on memory tests when they were exposed to the negative stereotypes before taking the tests. In contrast, when these same adults were exposed to the positive stereotypes, they performed significantly better and as well as people in their teens and 20s.

26)Have goals for the future.

Draw up lists of things to do. This is important regardless of your age, particularly for those who are retired. While work itself can keep you younger, there is more to life than just work. Look forward to life in general. You must have personal goals and aspirations, as well as professional ones. These can be career goals, personal interest goals (e.g., take up a new sport, start a new hobby, read Shakespeare's plays), physical goals, cognitive goals (e.g., learning a language, taking up crossword puzzles), or nutritional goals. Goals help you grow and develop at any age.

27).  Play   Play means you’re having fun. It’s the polar opposite of work.

What does it mean to play with something?

·         To engage

·         in a light-hearted way

·         to discover and explore

·         without expectation

·         or being invested in an outcome.

28.  Do you do anything fun with your time?

When’s the last time you discovered or did something new?  When did you do something without trying to get some kind of end result from it, just for kicks?

Remember: Fun is the process. It has nothing to do with the outcome.  Play.  Discover. Explore.

Never, ever take yourself too seriously. To ensure long lasting happiness, make this is your primary way of interacting with the world.

29.  Desire

Desire is the energy that propels us forward.

It makes us want to stick around to see what happens next. Even a monk who desires nothing is driven by a strong desire—to desire nothing and connect with his higher Self.

Nurture your desires. They serve as the canon which continuously launches you into life.

When you wake up in the morning ask yourself:  How can I satisfy one of my own desires today?

30.  Malleability

Malleability is your ability to adapt, to change.  Youthfulness requires you to be able to bend with life.

Case in point: Have you ever seen a baby fall over? Their soft little bodies are usually OK since they don’t absorb the impact, they embrace it. Their fluidity is their saving grace.

The older we get, the more rigid we tend to become in both our thoughts and bodies. Tension stiffens and leads to breakage. Like an old woman who refuses to change, rigidity about who and what you are leaves no room for exploration. It means you’re old.

Rigidity is a direct result of fear and presumption. Fear and presumption narrow your choices; they close you off to new possibilities and vitality. The more you indulge in these two emotions, the less chance you have of nourishing yourself with new adventures.

31.Take a risk every now and again. Step out of your box, even if it’s just a little step.

Youthfulness is about your vitality and spirit. Stop chasing after that sixteen year-old skin, embrace the wisdom that comes with age, and next time you drive by that billboard, smile.  Youth isn’t in your skin my friend.  It’s sitting in your bones.

32.. How many hours per week do you exercise? 
Ideal: At least 2.5

Why it matters: If you log two-plus hours of physical activity a week, you’re up to 30 percent less likely to die in the next 20 years than if you do less or none at all. Exercise — even if it’s frolicking in the surf or dancing to your favorite tunes — helps keep weight and blood pressure in check, lowering your risk for disease.

33. What is your body-mass index? 
Ideal: Under 25

Why it matters: Active women whose BMI (a measure of body fat) falls between 18.5 and 22.9 may be 2.5 times more likely to age free of disease than overweight, sedentary women. Excess body fat secretes proteins and acids that can up your risk for cancer and more. A BMI below 23 is best, but less than 25 is good. Keep on moving’!

34. What is your waist circumference? 
Ideal: Less than 35 inches

Why it matters: Having a middle less than 37.7 inches around cut women’s mortality risk by 23 percent compared with larger waistlines. Less than 35 inches is optimal, so skip trans fats — they can boost belly bulge — and go for avocados and yogurt, which may shrink bloat and tummy fat.

35. What is your total cholesterol level? 
Ideal: Less than 200 mg/dl

Why it matters: 240 mg/dl and your risk is twice that of someone with levels below 200. And watch your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol: Above 160 is high and has been linked to increased rates of stroke and heart disease.

36. How much fiber do you eat per day? 
Ideal: 25

37. How many hours of sleep do you get per night? 
Ideal: 7 to 8

Why it matters: Snooze fewer than six hours a night and you may be 12 percent more likely to die earlier than if you logged six to eight. Getting less than seven hours disrupts hunger-regulating hormones, causing weight gain and related concerns.

38. What is your blood pressure? 
Ideal: Under 120/80 mm/HG

Why it matters: Anything between 120/80 and 139/89 indicates prehypertension, which can often be reversed by adopting stress- and weight-management habits. A number above 140/90 signifies full-fledged hypertension (a heart stressor), and you should talk to a doc about regular monitoring.

39. Do you have a pet? 
Ideal: Yes

Why it matters: Cat owners have a 40 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack than no owners. Both felines and canines can reduce loneliness and depression, emotions linked to early mortality. Not ready to adopt your own fur ball? Pet-sit for a pal or walk dogs for an animal shelter.

40. Do you take antioxidant supplements? 
Ideal: No

Why it matters: Popping beta-carotene and vitamins A and E daily was associated with an up to 16 percent greater mortality risk in a review of 67 studies. Nutrient megadoses may interfere with the body’s natural defense mechanisms, and supplements aren’t subject to rigorous toxicity studies, as pharmaceuticals are. Aim to get your nutrients from an antioxidant-rich diet.

41. Do you wear a seat belt? 
Ideal: Yes

Why it matters: When drivers and front-seat passengers click in, their risk for fatal injury drops by 45 percent, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports. Nearly 7,000 car-accident fatalities might have been prevented in 2008 if the victims had been wearing seat belts. Buckle up!

42. How many alcoholic drinks do you have per day on average? 
Ideal: About 1

Why it matters: Happy hour, indeed: Moderate alcohol intake has been shown to lower heart disease risk by reducing plaque buildup in arteries. But too much imbibing has been linked to breast cancer. Play it safe and stick to one a day (a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer or 1.5 ounces of liquor).

43. Do you smoke? 
Ideal: No

Why it matters: Cigarettes are the number-one preventable cause of mortality in the United States, responsible for one fifth of deaths annually. Smoking can lead to cancer, diabetes and lung disease — and did you know it also adds years to your looks? Kick butts! Get help at LegacyForHealth.org.

44.ACCEPT WHAT YOU HAVE

Research shows that happy people have modest levels of expectation and aspirations — they want what they can get — while unhappy people never seem to get what they want. They also know how to avoid disappointments and how to generate pleasant surprises. This is because they strive for realistic goals and are happy with their lot. As Dr Jose de Jesus Garcia Vega, of the University of Monterrey, Mexico, confirms, we must accept things as they come. 

‘We spend a lot of time complaining about the things that happen to us, but this is a waste of time and effort,’ he says. ‘To be happy, we need to enjoy what we have.’

45.ENJOY WHAT YOU DO

Happy people do what they enjoy and enjoy what they do — and don’t do it for the money  or glory. There’s no point being stuck in a job you hate, surrounded by unfriendly colleagues just because the money is good — people forget that they are allowed to be happy at work, too. Many spend the best years of their lives trying to make money, sacrificing their health and family in the process, says Dr Garcia Vega. Later, they spend the same money they made working trying to recover their lost health and estranged family. 

46.LIVE FOR TODAY

Don’t dwell on the past, on things that went wrong or previous failures. Similarly, don’t dream about an idealized future that doesn’t exist or worry about what hasn’t happened yet. Happy people live for the now; they have positive mind sets. If you can’t be happy today, what makes you think tomorrow will be different?

47.CHOOSE HAPPINESS

Don’t be afraid to step back and re-evaluate your goals. Imagine your life as a story that you can edit and revise as you  go along. This kind of flexible approach requires positive thinking and an open mind — you need to actively choose to be happy.

48.NICELAND
Iceland has the happiest population, while Britain came ninth in a world survey

‘You always have the freedom to choose the manner in which you wish to approach any given situation,’ says Dr Garcia Vega. This theory is backed up by Ingrid a Grecian of Vilnius University, Lithuania, who researched the happiness of people in 31 European countries. 

She found that ‘voluntarisms’ (people who feel they have free choice and complete control over their life) were happier than fatalists (people who think little can be changed by personal intervention).
Luckily for us, Northern European countries contain more voluntarists while Latin European countries such as Spain and Italy have a higher percentage of fatalists.  

49.RELATIONSHIPS

We get our happiness from other people, and from supporting other people. Remember that just as other people can make us happy, we are all ‘other people’ to someone else. And cherish people who are important to you. Research also shows that married people are happier than single people.

50.STAY BUSY

If you want to be happier, develop an outgoing, social personality — accept that drinks invitation, join the walking club, book group or choir. The best way to savour pleasure is in the company of others. Build a rich social life, says Eunkook M. Suh, a psychology professor at Yonsei University in Seoul, not as an obligation, but because it is rewarding, meaningful and fun.

Active, busy, social people are the healthiest and happiest, in society. Get involved: make your motto ‘use it or lose it.’ 

51.DON'T COMPARE

Ambition is healthy and makes people happy, explains Claudia Senik, a professor  at the University of  Paris-Sorbonne, but envy makes them unhappy. Yet comparisons with others can spoil the benefits of ambition and are only useful if you learn something from them. Focus on your goals and dreams  so you can enjoy  your ambition and achievements.

52.BE YOURSELF

Just as you shouldn’t compare yourself with others, it’s important not to worry about what others think about you — then you can truly be yourself.
Happy people are spontaneous, natural and real; they  say what they think and  feel, and aren’t concerned what others think of them. Being oneself makes one feel free  and authentic.

53.STOP WORRYING

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Happy people don’t worry  and they recognise that 90 per cent of worries never come true.

54.GET ORGANISED

You might envy those laid-back bohemian types who just do things on the spur of the moment, but don’t be fooled. Happy people plan and organise, they have goals and a purpose. You can only get what you want or desire if you know what it is you want or desire in the first place. So while those chilled-out friends might seem happy, they’re actually just drifting along. 

55.THINK POSITIVE

Bottling up emotions and bad feelings creates psychological distress and physical discomfort. Happy people get things off their chest, their motto is: get rid of it, or it will get rid of you. Similarly, work at developing optimistic thinking; happy people always look on the  bright side. 

Successful athletes know to focus on winning, not losing, explains Miriam Akhtar, one of the first positive psychologists in the UK. We need to switch from a negative, glass-half-empty outlook to a glass-half-full and put optimism into practice to be happiest. Optimism is the mind’s natural self-defense mechanism against depression.

56.VALUE HAPPINESS

Happiness can be learned, but finding meaning and a purpose in life is what leads to it, not the other way around. The happiest people appreciate and realise that being happy adds years to their life, and life to their years.

57.  Attitude  

Those who surround themselves with people they want to look like, often achieve this goal.  Why?  There is the old saying that you become like those you associate with.  I have two older friends who hang out with people who are at least 10 years younger than they are.  As a result, they tend to dress younger, and they continue to engage in activities they would probably have dumped years ago due to their ages. 

58.  Keep Moving

I’m sure you heard it over again and over again, but it’s worth repeating – “Exercise helps your body to stay toned and keeps it younger looking.“  As we age, our muscles and skin start to sag and loose elasticity. 

59.  Cucumbers and Honey  (The Secret Weapon)

It has been reported that Cleopatra consumed pickled cucumbers, along with milk and honey on her skin to help her maintain a very youthful appearance. 

It’s interesting that both cucumbers and honey are anti-inflammatory and are good for the skin.  Cucumbers have vitamin A, K, potassium and silica.  This mineral strengthens our connective tissue that holds our muscles and organs together.  No wonder one of the benefits of eating cucumbers is helping us to stay young looking!