How long will you live?
Happiness and attitude are very important. Optimism is a trait that is linked with longer life spans. Even studies support this. A 2011 study found that the group of older people that scored as the happiest had a death rate of 3.6%, which is less than half of the death rate of the least happy people, who scored 7.3%. Optimistic, outgoing, and easygoing people live longer. So roll with it.
Researchers identified common personality characteristics of 243 centenarians. A love of laughter was on the list, and laughter was listed as an important part of life to them. Even people who smile more may live several years longer than people who do not smile as much.
Regular exercise, be it walking, swimming, water aerobics, or riding a bike is going to extend your life. Exercises like yoga also help keep you flexible, improve your balance, and help relieve stress and anxiety. Getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week can add four years to your life. Can you walk to the store or move about without your car? Do you work in your yard? The key is to stay active. Several of my family members have a Fitbit activity device that tracks how many steps are taken
in a day. I find that keeping track of my progress encourages me to go farther and achieve a personal goal of ten thousand steps per day.
Finally, how much life will we experience in the time that we have? It is wonderful to live a long time but even more wonderful to love a long time! From my heart to yours, Thomas