4 Tips For Staying Young At Heart

1. Mind. Keep developing it. Building and preserving brain connections is an ongoing process, so make lifelong learning your #1 priority.

Keep in mind (no pun intended) the more senses you use in learning something, the more of your brain will be involved in retaining the memory.

The most powerful computer known is the brain. The human brain possesses about 100 billion neurons with roughly 1 quadrillion — 1 million billion — connections known as synapses wiring these cells together.

Our brains are actually way more powerful than we thought or imagined! .

2. Humor. Keep enjoying it. Try going through a day without so much as a chuckle, and you’ll find that it’s downright impossible.

And those chuckles occur much more frequently than other commonly researched emotions like regret, pride, and shame.

In fact, humor appears to help people’s psychological and physical well-being too – for example, helping older adults  cope with stress, grief, and adversity.

3. Strength. Keep using it. Aging is natural, but losing muscle is not. You don’t have to be a power-lifter—to prioritize muscle mass and strength.

Eat More Protein: Every muscle in your body is made up of protein.

Add light weights to your workout. Maintaining muscle goes a long way in supporting your overall health and well-being.

4. Opportunities. Keep pursuing them. Reach for the stars (and the moon) pursue your dreams and get more from life. How? Renew your sense of purpose.

Having a purpose in life means caring deeply about a goal that you are willing to work toward achieving—often to help others or affect the world in some positive, productive way.

The key things to think about are: What are you good at? What have you done that gave you a skill that can be used for a cause? What do you care about in your community? Where could you volunteer?

Challenge yourself to try new things, learn new ideas, and develop new skills. Realizing that most human abilities follow a “use it or lose it” pattern can motivate us to stay active in all realms of our lives.

Bring your attention repeatedly to the present moment, through formal mindfulness meditation or informal mindfulness practice. It can help you to appreciate this moment, rather than becoming lost in regrets about the past or imagining future deterioration.

Commit yourself to a hobby you love, such as gardening, attending the theater, dancing, or reading. When we focus on the positive we’re much more apt to stay forever young at heart!