Jane Fonda, who just turned 80, says the secret to her vibrancy is that she’s “a believer in intentional living.” (OK, besides the cosmetic surgery?) Actually, she's referring to making intentional choices that enhance the quality of our lives—just as much the quantity.
So, yeah, aging is a fact of life—but as we move from decade to decade, how do we grow happier? Just going with the flow, I've found, isn't always the best way to roll. While not everything in life is within our control, there are areas where we can make intentional choices that tip the happiness scale.
This article from aarp suggests six smart ways we can up that smile quotient—and maybe make some teeny, weeny needed changes in the process! To summarize:
1. Organizing goals by 'must do,' 'should do,' or 'could do" (woulda, shoulda, couda)
In a nutshell, break down your goals and don't try to change everything at once. Start with manageable goals; then take small, reasonable steps. (What we don't want to do is jump whole hog into something we'll give up before we even get started!)
2. Dump the junk
We all have a lot of stuff—much of which we don't really need. The best way to downsize is to determine what supports us in our lives right now—not where we were a decade ago. Less clutter seems to translate to more happiness in the moment.
3. Get a job (or find a purpose: volunteer, garden, learn a language, etc.)
For those fortunate ones who have left the full-time-job grind, getting a "job" isn't what we're talking about! But it has been proven that people with a purpose live longer. So just experiment with something that gets you excited, like volunteering or taking a course.
4. Nix the 'senior moment'
Very simply, don't blame all your snafus on age! And don't get overly cautious and risk averse when relying on your memory. Most importantly, avoid focusing on failure and concentrate on doing your best.
5. Hang out with the cool kids (of any age)
Former Olympic Gold Medalist Peggy Fleming, now 70, still goes to the gym. Why? Because she sees people her age and older pushing themselves to get stronger, and figures, 'if they can do, why can't I?'
6. Be content with mediocrity (read: don't be a perfectionist)
Learning new skills doesn't mean you'll necessarily be at the top of your class or win an award. Sometimes it's great to just explore uncharted territory. In other words, focus on the journey more than the destination.
I have personally dabbled in a number of these areas (see some of my other blog posts), and these ideas do make sense! To read the entire article, click here.
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