Many of us dread the aging process. We may find it difficult to stay motivated while aging as well. The difficult part is that motivation is the key to healthy aging. This means that we must learn the tools and skills needed to stay motivated with age and throughout our lives. The question always remains, what will keep you inspired and motivated? We all want to be young forever, so why not create a healthy lifestyle to help maintain our physical and psychological well-being? We must be flexible and open-minded to new opportunities and experiences later in life.
Many individuals start to become set in their ways and routines when aging, instead of remaining flexible. What you wanted or needed 20 years ago may not be what you need now. Motivation can help us not only feel optimistic for the future, but it also lowers our stress. We will not always be motivated for the same things and that is okay, as long as we stay motivated towards something.
Ways to stay motivated throughout life:
- Identify simple things that motivate you
What motivates others does not mean it motivates you. What motivated you in the past may not motivate you today, identify simple things that will motivate you now.
When aging we often feel we are not in control, this is not the case. Know that you are in control of your life and in order to stay healthy and motivated, it is up to you to want to do those things for yourself.
Sometimes you may find it difficult to stay optimistic. What is it that is causing you to have negative thoughts, or what is holding you back from living a fulfilled life?
- Surround yourself with people that motivate you
It can be hard to stay motivated when you are around people that just want to retire and do nothing. Surround yourself with people that have similar interests, who want to stay fit and healthy, who want to travel, and who want to learn new things. These people will help you stay motivated and creating new goals at every stage of life.
Staying motivated can be extremely difficult, so it is important to get support from those closest to you. Therapy is also a great option to talk through your emotions and create a more positive outlook for the future.
Benefits of motivation for healthy aging:
- Increased physical activity
- Lower risks of illness
- Less stress and anxiety
- Positive outlook on the future
- Increased mental health
- The ability to create new goals
- The ability to be flexible and adapt
- The want to explore new places & things
- Less negative self-talk
- Feeling younger in mind/body/and heart
We cannot choose when or how we age, but we can choose what we do for ourselves and our future. Just because you are aging, does not mean you have to quit doing the things you love. We may have to think of new ways to do the things we love, but that does not mean we cannot do anything and should give up on our goals.
Create motivation to help with healthy aging so that you can continue to feel young and create healthy habits. We all deserve to live our best life, even things are thrown at us to set us back for a bit. If you are struggling with motivation and healthy aging, reach out to a trained therapist for help.
