What Are You Striving for In 2024? The SeniorScape®
Are you preparing for the New Year beyond those pesky resolutions?
If not, here are a few things to consider from an infographic I saw on Linked In. I think it touches on key areas that are not always considered when looking forward to the year ahead. Each of these areas is also an important ingredient to health and wellbeing.
It takes awareness and mindfulness, which are foundational to taking intentional action to make changes.
Reflect and Celebrate
What have you accomplished this past year?
Celebrate your accomplishments and the milestones you’ve achieved. Successes don’t come in any size. The smallest ones mean as much as the largest ones. Be kind to yourself and praise yourself because no one can be your greatest cheerleader other than you.
Said best by Jay Shetty:
“When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself. When nobody compliments you, then compliment yourself. It’s not up to other people to keep you encouraged. It’s up to you. Encouragement should come from the inside.”
Practice Gratitude.
Research supports that gratitude, or a mindset of thankfulness, increases feelings of positivity.
Oprah credits her success with gratitude statements every AM.
Like a magnet, like attracts like. A positive mindset, or attitude of gratitude, can attract more of the same.
I begin each day saying the following:
Today is Going to Be Amazing
Because today is an Amazing Day
Something Amazing is Going to Happen Today
Because Something Amazing is Coming My Way.
It sets up a mindset of looking for the positive and appreciating the smallest wins.
Savor the Good, All of it!!!
This past weekend, I heard a story that hit on the point that all too often we’re not seeing or appreciating what’s good, but rather looking at the one thing that is missing.
The story is of a woman standing on the shore when her son is swept away in a large wave. In her torment, she repeatedly prays and pleads to have her son returned to her safe and sound.
In one swoosh of a huge wave, her son suddenly appears at her feet.
She looks down at him and says, “he had a hat.”
The moral of the story. Are we constantly seeing the negative or what’s missing amidst the positives that come our way?
I came across this quote which captures it well:
“Dissatisfaction is a great starting point, for it is right there that we have the most power, strength and energy to push change through.”
Davie DeNotaris
Laugh, and Let Go
I say, “Laugh for the Health of It.”
Laughter releases endorphins, some call it the happy hormone, and it is the body’s natural hormone.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters released by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus in the brain. Endorphins can alleviate pain, lower Stress, improve mood, and enhance your sense of well-being. The body releases endorphins when you are involved in pleasurable activities. Laughter is the result of a pleasurable experience, and therefore, releases your body’s endorphins.
Embrace Change
The only thing we can rely on is change. Just as the weather or the seasons, change is inevitable. Be open to and embrace the challenges that come along with change. See the change as an opportunity for Growth, test your resilience, and find the courage to seek solutions.
Commit to Kindness
According to Sonja Lyubomirsky, small acts of kindness are foundational to happiness. This has been supported by decades of research which determined being kind to others not only brightens someone else’s life but boosts your own mood. Thus, it creates happier feelings, which ultimately leads to a healthier mindset.
Commit to Connecting, for you and for others
Loneliness has been proven to be detrimental to physical, emotional and Mental Health and wellbeing. Connection is an important ingredient to happiness, mental health and even longevity. Seek Relationships for yourself and for the benefit it affords to the person with whom you have the relationship as a means of goodwill.
Need help designing your Longevity Wellness Action Plan?Email phyllis@phyllisaymanassociates.com or
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Originally Published on https://www.phyllisaymanassociates.com/
