September is Healthy Aging Month and it is important no matter what
your age that you are living a healthy lifestyle, and if you are not,
TODAY is the day to start!
Here are 10 Tips for Reinventing Yourself during September Is Healthy Aging® Month:
- Do
not act your age or at least what you think your current age should act
like. What was your best year so far? 28? 40? Now? Picture yourself at
that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but we say it is
positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better about you.
(Tip: Don’t keep looking in the mirror, just FEEL IT!)
- Be
positive in your conversations and your actions every day. When you
catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and change the
conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching the police
reports on the local news.)
- Ditch
the downer friends. Have negative friends who complain all of the time
and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop them. As cruel
as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do not have a
positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop you from
moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy, positive people
of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile often. It’s
contagious and wards off naysayers.)
- Walk
like a vibrant, healthy person. Come on. You can probably do it.
Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just become lazy
or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious effort to
take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear comfortable
shoes.)
- Stand up
straight! You can knock off the appearance of a few extra years with
this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at yourself in the
mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your shoulders back, chin
up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix your stance and
practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You will look great
and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer if you follow this advice.)
- How’s your
smile? Research shows people who smile more often are happier. Your
teeth are just as important to your good health as the rest of your
body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but good oral health
is a gateway to your overall well-being. (Tip: Go to the dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more than yellowing teeth!)
- Lonely?
Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or family. Do
something about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the phone, landline,
or cell and make a call to do one or more of the following: Volunteer
your time, take a class, and invite someone to meet for lunch, brunch,
dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local public school to stay in
touch with younger people and to keep current on trends, take a
computer class or a tutorial session at your cell phone store to keep up
with technology, choose a new person every week for your dining out.)
- Start
walking not only for your health but to see the neighbors. Have a dog?
You’ll be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter. (Tip: If you
don’t have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter and
volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!)
- Get
a physical. Make this month the time to set up your annual physical and
other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then, hopefully,
you can stop worrying about ailments for a while. (Tip: For a list of
recommended annual health screenings, a great resource is the My Health Finder.
- Find
your inner artist. Who says taking music lessons is for young school
children? You may have an artist lurking inside you just waiting to be
tapped. Have you always wanted to play the piano, violin, or tuba? Have
you ever wondered if you could paint a portrait or scenic in oil? What
about working in wood? (Tip: Sign up now for fall art or music classes
and discover your inner artist!)
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