4 Tips to Keep You Feeling Young

Paul Stout, a man who lives in a small southern Missouri town, mows his own lawn as well as his elderly neighbor’s lawn every two weeks. He always takes the stairs when given the opportunity, every morning he walks around his block fifteen times and at family dinners he is the first to make a joke. Golfing is his passion and when he isn’t participating in a golf league, he invites his friends and family to play — and Paul records the best score the majority of the time.

Although retired, Paul spends most of his weekends volunteering in the community, bringing baked goods to his class at church or driving to visit his daughter who lives an hour away.

These tasks may seem simple or even mundane, but what you don’t realize is that Paul is 90 years old.

“The older I get, the more I realize that time is flying by,” Paul said. “I don’t want to waste that time thinking about what I can’t do anymore. Instead, I think about all the things I can do.”

For more information on how you or your loved one can feel more youthful, read a few of the tips below. After all, age is only a number.

 Laugh and smile often, frown less

It is scientifically proven that it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. So, why not smile as often as possible? If there is a person who always makes you smile, be sure to spend a good amount of time with that person. Or maybe there is a late night television show that makes you laugh. Watch it every chance you get. Smile at strangers and smile for no reason at all. A smiling face can feel more like a youthful face.

“One day, I noticed that what sets people my age apart from people in their 40s or 50s is that they are always laughing and cracking jokes,” Paul said. “I learned that there isn’t anything more important than to keep laughing, even if you are laughing at yourself.”

Read or write every day

Perform mental aerobics every day. It does not matter if you are reading, writing, solving mathematic problems or solving a word search puzzle as long as you are keeping your mind active and continually learning. If you love politics or history, try reading a book written by one of the great political leaders from the present or past. Or if reading a fictional novel seems more enticing, try joining a local book club.  Even writing a daily journal can be the mental aerobics you need. It is never too late to quit learning!

 Surround yourself with joyous, fun people

The first tip of continuing to laugh and smile correlates with this idea of surrounding yourself with joyous people. Have you ever heard of the saying “one bad apple spoils the whole bunch?” Well, this can definitely be true. If there are negative people surrounding you, more than likely you may begin to feel a little negative too. So instead, surround yourself with hilarious friends, caring family members or rambunctious children, you will find yourself learning their habits and having a grand time.

“I always try to spend time with friends and family that aren’t my age,” Paul said. “There is nothing that makes me feel younger than playing with my great grandkids or sharing stories with friends from church.”

 Always make time for exercise

A little exercise can go a long way when it comes to feeling younger. It has been proven that just 30 minutes of exercise can improve your health. You may want to begin by walking up a few steps or walking around your neighborhood one morning. If the thought of walking or climbing stairs seems too strenuous, however, just remember that most any activity can count. Even waking up and stretching your muscles, vacuuming, raking leaves or taking a small stroll with your dog can be just enough exercise to make you feel more youthful.

 “I promise that if you actually try to feel younger, you will succeed and others will notice,” Paul said. “Even those who are unable to exercise or walk around can still make an effort to feel younger. Take it from someone who just turned 90, there are no excuses.”