How Do You Define Positive Aging?

The way you define Positive Aging becomes crucial as you grow older, because if you don’t think for yourself, you’ll end up accepting stereotypes that will erode your sense of well-being. To begin to define Positive Aging for yourself, you must clearly identify and then stay in touch with how you feel about various aspects of aging.

Coming to terms with the way you think about aging will help you redefine and refine the way you age. So, start by making a written list of five negative beliefs you have about aging and five positive ones. How realistic are those beliefs? Which have the greatest influence on the quality of your life and the way you act? Which strengthen your sense of well-being? Which diminish it? Do your beliefs indicate that you buy into cultural stereotypes about aging, or do you clearly think things through for yourself? Do you feel your beliefs are set in stone, or can they be modified?

Finally, pick the single most important negative belief that you have about aging, and ask yourself how you can modify or eliminate it. Then pick the single most important positive belief, and ask yourself how you can use it as a building block for growth. This is the beginning of your Path to Positive Aging.