Active Aging Presented by Public Health Seattle-King County
Many things change about your daily life after retirement, and some adjustments may be complex. If you can adopt a positive thinking approach to this stage of life, however, you can learn to find new enjoyment and increase your chances of living a long, healthy life at the same time.
What is Positive Thinking?
Positive thinking involves seeing your life in a positive light. You are optimistic about overcoming challenges and can find moments of joy and hope in your daily life. Many sources point out an important caveat: positive thinking does not mean you overlook obstacles or refuse to confront difficulties. Rather, you choose to see all aspects of reality in a way that focuses productively on the good rather than dwelling unproductively on the negatives. Positive thinking can be an overall approach to life or a mindset you adopt situationally.
When Positivity Matters: Mental Health
Whether you adopt positive thinking as a holistic lifestyle or as a way to work through obstacles, the research is clear: a positive mindset improves mental health. One key to this connection lies in the fact that positive thinking is not a façade that you present to others. Positive thinkers actually believe good things about themselves, others, and their current situation. This positive approach can reduce your stress hormones and limit the physical and emotional toll that difficulties take. As a result, you’re more resilient and successful in overcoming challenges.
Mental Health as You Age
Overall wellness is a critical factor in living a long life, and that includes mental health. According to the National Institute on Aging, older adults are at an increased risk for social isolation, depression, anxiety, and other stress-related conditions. Taking care of your mental health can mean a longer, happier life.
The Power of Thinking Positively About Aging
The connection between your mindset and health becomes even more critical as you age. Recently, many researchers have pointed out the link between healthy aging and positive thinking. In fact, some believe viewing aging in a positive light can add more years to your life than other interventions, such as exercise or smoking cessation.
Key Steps to a Positive Mindset
The great news is that positive thinking is a technique anyone can learn to adopt at any time. It doesn’t require specific tools or interventions, and starting small is the best way to turn this approach into a lifelong habit.
Get Curious About Your Thoughts
Many of us aren’t aware that negative self-talk or pessimistic thinking plays a big part in our internal monologue. If you’re committed to adopting positive thinking habits, the first step is to get curious about your current thoughts. Use a notebook to track what your responses are to obstacles or unexpected situations over the course of several weeks. How many are positive? What do the negative thoughts entail? How do you feel after you’ve had a positive thought versus a negative one? Answering these questions for yourself can help you find patterns and opportunities for employing more positive thinking in the future.
Reframe Negatives
It’s impossible to avoid negative thinking entirely, and that’s not the actual goal of adopting a positive thinking mindset. Your objective is to reframe negative thoughts into more productive positive outlooks. When you catch yourself using a negative approach or getting stuck in pessimistic spirals, pause and try to separate each idea into its own phrase. Work to reframe each idea, one at a time, into something more positive in the moment. Practicing this activity will make this habit more second nature over time.
For example: Instead of “I’m always late to meet my friends. I bet they’re so annoyed and don’t want to see me at all,” try “Today I noticed I spent more time than I had planned on breakfast. I’ll factor that in for future plans, and I know my friends will help support me as I improve.”
Focus on Gratitude
Gratitude journals are now a mainstream practice for all ages, and with good reason. When you focus on finding small things that bring you joy or deserve your thanks, it becomes easier to adjust your thinking towards a positive mindset. Set a time each day to complete your daily gratitude practice, and you’ll quickly notice how much easier it becomes to be optimistic in your everyday life.
Surround Yourself with a Positive Community
Having a positive outlook doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Staying optimistic in a sea of doubt, disbelief, and pessimism can be difficult. Surrounding yourself with others who want to adopt a positive mindset will make it easier for you to do the same.
It’s never too early (or too late!) to adopt a positive mindset in your life, especially regarding the aging process.
Active Aging is presented by Public Health- Seattle & King County. Public Health- Seattle & King County recognizes the important and untold stories of innovation, service, and sacrifice by the Black community and supports efforts to improve equity and achieve social justice. We want everyone to get health insurance and access health care. Visitwww.kingcounty.gov/health for health insurance, flu and COVID-19 testing locations.