Think about how you want to live your life, especially your later years. It involves staying youthful and maintaining a positive outlook on life. Getting older leads you to your destiny, one day at a time. Do it in style!
The size of your destiny, be it into the limelight, to your own business, or to spread smiles around town, isn’t what matters. I have several tips to keep you on your path in this Getting Better series. What can you do to pursue your destiny with optimal vibrancy? Lots: get enough sleep; move enough; laugh enough; drink enough water; express gratitude enough; use your brain enough; maintain enough human contact; play enough; keep your mindset young enough.
Enough Already!
Now you’re going to ask: how much is enough? It’s still true that there is no one answer that applies to everyone. At the very least, it’s a concept to be aware of and think about as you maneuver your day and make life decisions. One of the exciting results of improving your vibrancy is that you feel and look better — younger. People will wonder what you are doing. And that provides another opportunity to share more of your wisdom.
Drink Enough Water
How much is enough is up for debate. It seems people feel threatened by this concept, which I don’t understand. But, if you want to be as healthy and vibrant as possible, then keep your body hydrated. You are, after all, about 60% water — and that’s the percentage that keeps your body and brain working optimally.
Drink .75 oz water/pound (or .02 liters water/.5 kilograms) of weight. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, drink 90 oz (2.7 liters) or a little more than 5.5 pints. (Factors include where you live, your diet, temperature or season, your environment, your activity level, your health — and even your gender.) One way to test to see if you are adequately hydrated is the Pinch Test: pinch the skin on the back of your hand; if the skin stays “tented” for more than two seconds you are dehydrated, and the longer it takes to relax back to your hand indicates the degree to which you are dehydrated.
When you drink enough water, you look, act, and think better. How’s that for getting better — not older? That’s showing good style!
Express Gratitude Enough
Gratitude, or taking time to notice and reflect upon the things you’re thankful for, has many positive benefits. Here’s a quick rundown on some of the benefits: it enhances sleep and empathy, it improves your physical and psychological health as well as your self-esteem, it opens the doors to more relationships, and it increases your mental strength or resilience. Gratitude even strengthens your immune system. What a great way to get better!
When you express gratitude, be specific and vary how you do it. There are many ways you can introduce a gratitude practice into your life: express when you get up, at meals, throughout the day, when you go to bed. Write, think, or speak your gratitudes.
Be grateful for every step as you watch your life get better. That’s a style others will enjoy the benefits of, too.
Use Your Brain Enough
Mental faculties seem to fade naturally as we age. I contend that our lifestyle choices are a big contributor to dampening our brain function. To slow, stop, and/or turn that change around, use your brain for diverse, challenging activities.
Learn new things like a language, musical instrument, or sport. Play new games and work on new puzzles. When you have learned this new thing, switch it up and start on another new thing to learn. Even learning to write, eat, or brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand exercises your brain to keep it sharp.
A sharp mind is a great way to get better — and more stylin’.
Enjoy turning your mind around in regards to growing older. As you get better, people will notice and may even ask what you are doing. Maybe you can turn them around so they start getting better, not older — in style.
Stay tuned for the third article in the Getting Better series to read about three more tips to keep you on your path to your destiny.
And here’s a follow up video on the topic: Take It Outdoors: Getting Better – Not Older – In Style .