Even as seasoned folks, we can still have visions of a better tomorrow. We can still have hopes, dreams, and aspire to carve out the life we want to live. But pursuing our dreams also means finding purpose and meaning in life. Living a life that is golden means that as soon as we are living up to our potential, we then continue to set the bar even higher. It also means making a commitment to personal growth.
Oprah Winfrey once stated, how we should make a path to happiness seem clear-cut and simple. How can we live life like it’s golden?
- Practice self-care. Taking care of you should be a carefully curated blend of the physical, emotional, and intellectual. It is vital for building resilience toward life’s stressors that we can’t eliminate. When you’ve taken steps to care for your mind and body, you’ll be better equipped to live your best life. Self-care can take on many forms. It can be ensuring you get enough sleep every night, stepping outside for a few moments to soak in some sun (vitamin D) and fresh air, or eating a balanced diet. It can also mean making the time to do what puts a smile on your face. Try exercising ‘purposeful disconnection’ which involves stepping back from your daily grind to engage in activities that make you feel good all over.
- Stay connected. A trusted circle cannot be overstated. Whether it is family, friends, or mentors, these are the people who provide emotional sustenance, offer a listening ear, dole out constructive criticism, or even provide much-needed reality checks every now and then. These folks should help fuel you and not cause you grief.
- Gratitude is the right attitude. Early research suggests that a daily practice of gratitude could positively affect the body. For example, one study found that gratitude was linked to fewer signs of heart disease. Gratitude reduces feelings of envy, makes our memories happier, lets us experience good feelings, and helps us bounce back from stress. Gratitude can improve relationships. It makes us nicer, more trusting, more social, and more appreciative. As a result, it helps us make more friends, deepen our existing relationships, and even improve our marriage. People who are grateful tend to be more helpful and empathic, more spiritual and religious, more forgiving, and less materialistic. “We encourage people to try practicing gratitude daily,” advises Dr. Judith T. Moskowitz, a psychologist at Northwestern University. “You can try first thing in the morning or right before you fall asleep, whatever is best for you.” Adjust your attitude and get right with gratitude!
- Try praying. Prayer maintains our spiritual well-being. It can elicit feelings of gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, and hope, all of which are associated with healing and wellness. Prayer purifies the heart and truly, through prayer, a believer attains spiritual devotion and moral elevation. Prayer not only offers a deep connection with God, but in prayer one establishes patience, humility and sincerity. Based on what science has shown, prayer might also help reduce stress, loneliness, anger, aggression, and fear. Prayer can be a powerful tool for finding inner strength when we are feeling weak or overwhelmed. With prayer as part of our daily routine we can find peace in our lives while creating lasting joy for ourselves.
- Give your inner critic the boot. Self-criticism is nothing but self-bashing! Research in the U.S., and abroad converges in showing that self-criticism, as measured by very simple self-report questionnaires, contributes to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance use disorders, physical health conditions, and even suicide. According to Dr. Golan Shahar, author of Erosion: The Psychopathology of Self-Criticism, self-criticism derails people’s social environments. It propels folks to generate interpersonal stress (e.g., be involved in quarrels and bring about rejections), and interferes with one’s ability to experience positive and enjoyable life events. Rather than self-bullying, adopt a curious and benevolent attitude toward yourself. If you use personal criticism in a way that’s useful to complete tasks and achieve goals, it can be beneficial. Use it as a way to examine your decisions, behaviors, and evaluate whether you need to make any changes.