Successful Aging is practiced by making lifestyle choices that provide us with balanced wellness and a fulfilling life. Studies continue to show that we control 70 percent or more of our age process. In other words, we are all dealt a hand in life; how we play it is up to us. At Acacia Creek, residents make the most of what they have by examining all aspects of your wellness: physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual. We should then determine what is most important to us. Balance is achieved by aligning our choices and habits to what we want for ourselves.
Try making a list of daily, weekly, and monthly actions you will take to keep moving toward what you desire. Think about strategies you can use to prioritize your desired actions such as checking the list every morning or having an accountability buddy. Think about strategies to help when you get thrown off track. Remember, what usually throws us off track is our thoughts and habits, so identify specifically what stops you from following through with your plans. Also, think about what has worked in the past to keep you on track.
For me, I find encouragement with positive messages like “You are stronger that you think.” And when I catch myself feeling negative, I repeat positive mantras such as “I am filled with peace and gratitude”. The brain believes whatever you tell it, so by interrupting my negative thoughts and replacing them with positive affirmations, I realign my thoughts to what I want for myself.
An easy thing to do is take advantage of campaigns like Move for Wellness (M4W) to help you be mindful about your wellness. M4W is designed for us to notice how much physical activity we are engaged in. We have a variety of M4W events that will provide plenty of opportunities to get out and move, while socializing and enjoying the peace and tranquility of nature that surrounds us. According to numerous studies, elements such as physical activity, socialization, and quiet contemplative time are vital to our overall well-being and are the foundation of successful aging.
Once you have a clear picture of what is most important to you and you have your list of strategies to keep you on track, the final thing to remember is to be kind to yourself. You can’t create balance if you are engaged in negative self-talk. Each day, do your best and celebrate when you follow through with your plans. You have the power to create a healthy balanced life.
Penny Vittoria
Successful Aging Coach
