Everyone ages. When we do, there are shifts away from the life that we have become used to, and these changes can cause a range of reactions in how we feel and behave. It's not always easy to accept the realities that come with aging. These feelings can cause a lack of optimism and hope for the future. Fortunately, there are some ways to maintain an optimistic point of view and to see the best of the years to come.
How to Boost Optimism Despite Age
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Socialize
It is essential to keep up with social interactions and avoid isolation as you age. Whether due to children moving out of the home, friends moving away, or any other number of reasons, it becomes challenging to keep up with your former social habits. To compensate for this, it is important to find new people to spend time with and to remain in contact with those who have meant the most to you.
Socializing with others helps to stave off feelings of loneliness and abandonment that can form and helps to slow or stop the symptoms of depression and isolation.
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Surround Yourself with Positive People
When you are surrounded by people who have a positive outlook and find joy in the small things in life, you are more likely to enjoy those things yourself. This type of thought process and optimism can be contagious and often provide positive and upbeat energy that affects people around them. By surrounding yourself with these types of people, you can set yourself up to share in that energy and their outlook on life.
At the same time, try to avoid spending too much time with people who have a constantly negative outlook. Their negativity, likewise, can rub off on you and affect how you look at the world.
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Set Goals
Setting goals offers the mind and body a purpose and a reason to remain functioning in a healthy way. Reaching these goals can bring excitement and encourage a mindset of achievement and purpose. This serves as a reminder that not all things have been completed. There is still a great purpose, and having purpose and achievements is an important part of staying optimistic.
Click here to learn how to set SMART goals!
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Choose Healthy Foods
Research has shown that eating healthy foods helps to support a healthy mindset and boost brain health. Brain health is key to maintaining an optimistic point of view. Adding fruits and vegetables to each meal can supply the necessary nutrients to keep the brain and the body healthy, increasing the enjoyment of life and helping people to stay hopeful and optimistic.
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Exercise and Practice Mindfulness
One key point to keeping a positive outlook is maintaining the health of both the body and the mind, both of which require exercise. Keeping the body moving can keep your blood flow regulated blood pressure within the healthy range. Exercise also causes endorphins to flow, improving optimism and boosting feelings of happiness and hope.
Mindfulness is a form of exercise for the mind. It is to bring focus to each moment throughout the day and encourage a positive and hopeful experience. To practice mindfulness, simply breathe slowly and observe your surroundings as they are, with no judgment of them. Sit in quiet and simply feel and see the world around you. Encourage a connection with your environment and, be observant of your feelings, focus on the moment.
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Keep a Gratitude Journal
Journaling allows for the flow of ideas and feelings and creates a space to express them. This can include writing down the feelings and experiences of the day as well as things that you are grateful for. Write the experiences that you wish to remember. A healthy and active brain is more likely to find the positives in experiences and to remain optimistic. Even writing about negative experiences and regrets can help to release those feelings and allow you to move forward with them.
When you need a pick-me-up, pick up your journal and read it. You'll find joy in remembering the little things that made you happy days, weeks, or even years ago.
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Place Positive Affirmations Around Your Home
Research has shown that by seeing the goals and positive affirmations that we wish to instill in our lives, they are more likely to become real. Find things that you want to improve and change your feelings about and write them on paper, post-it notes, or even on the mirror. Examples of positive affirmations for remaining optimistic include reminders like, "I am happy and healthy", or, "There are many positive experiences for me waiting to be enjoyed."
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See Positives That Are Still to Come
Looking forward and seeing that there are still good things and positive experiences to come is another way to maintain optimism. Fill out a calendar with things to look forward to. Include family gatherings, birthdays, weddings, etc. Even just a new book to read or a movie to see can improve the outlook on the next few months. They don't need to be big events or occurrences, but anything enjoyable and the small joys in life are sometimes the best ones.
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Get Enough Sleep
Adults require between 8 and 10 hours of sleep each night to maintain healthy body functions and brain functioning. Without enough sleep, there is an increased risk of depression, exhaustion, and feelings of sadness and loneliness, along with decreased motivation to socialize or do things that you find enjoyable. For the best sleep, form a sleep pattern and maintain the same routine, including the time you go to bed and wake up every day of the week.
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Do Things That Make You Happy
Often, enjoyment and happiness can be found in the little daily things. A good cup of coffee or tea, an enjoyable book, a favorite sweater, or a TV show can often bring daily joy and help keep a happy outlook. Large events and major life achievements can help to boost happiness, but they are not happening every day. There often need to be some small things that make you happy every day to look forward to in order to maintain optimism.
So, let us know in the comments below - What helps you look on the bright side?