Tabitha’s Monthly Health Tip

How Do I Think More Positively About Aging?

Wrinkle creams, micro-needling, chemical peels… The list of anti-aging cosmetic products and procedures seems endless. In modern society, many people are chasing after the secret to keep their skin taut and their body looking young, but the truth is that having negative opinions about aging will impact their health in the long run. The secret to living joyfully and aging gratefully is thinking about aging in a more positive light — and here’s how you do just that.

Challenge your biases toward aging. An “implicit bias” is an automatic thought that correlates with things you’ve been told or that you’ve heard in the past. For example, you might see an older person with the newest iPhone and think, “I doubt they even know how to use that.” Perpetuating ageist beliefs, even if unintentional, negatively affects the physical, mental and emotional health of older adults, which can lead to social isolation, depression and increased loneliness. When your next implicit thought pops up, take time to reevaluate your mindset, and over time, your automatic first thought will begin to reflect your rational second thought until that bias is quashed.

Challenge the way you think about your aging journey. Your wrinkles are a reflection of everywhere you’ve been and everything you’ve experienced, and your body has been a dependable vessel since your birth. Aging is part of the journey of life, so there’s no use in shaming yourself for showing signs of it. A highlight from   Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s self-help book, “Psycho-Cybernetics, a New Way to Get More Living Out of Life,” states: “Your actions, feelings, behaviors—even your abilities—are always consistent with the ‘self-image.’ In short, you will act like the sort of person you conceive yourself to be. You literally cannot act otherwise, in spite of your conscious effort.” Age is only a number, and by thinking of yourself as growing less important or impactful as you age, you may not be able to accomplish what you want to in this lifetime.

See aging for what it truly is. Sometimes you have to see it to believe it! Many older adults do not let their age define them and continue to enjoy the activities they’ve loved for years.

Connecting with older adults in your community is as beneficial to them as it is to you, no matter your age. Taking this notion to the next level, Tabitha is creating S2age Living, the first-of-its-kind in the nation, intergenerational community, opening this fall is built to encourage supportive neighboring. The S2age will be home to older adults (55+) and Bryan College of Health Sciences students who will both benefit from the mindful wisdom, guidance and newfound, supportive connections they can provide one another.

By utilizing these tips in your everyday life, you will be putting effort toward a future of inclusion, dignity and empowerment for older adults throughout the world.

This health tip is brought to you by Tabitha. To learn more, visit us at Tabitha.org or call 308.389.6002.