The choices you make today can impact your life for many years to come. This is especially true when it comes to the aging process. While we can all agree that aging is an inevitable part of life, it doesn’t have to be something that you dread. In fact, it shouldn’t be.
Yes, as time goes on you may begin to see more wrinkles on your face or find you have less energy throughout the day. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to continue living your best life, especially if you make choices today to help facilitate a long, healthy, and active life. This is where the concept of active aging comes into play.
According to the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA), the concept of active aging involves making decisions that will lead you toward a long, healthy, and active life. It’s about making decisions now to take control of your aging journey.
The ICAA has identified 7 dimensions of wellness that are considered the cornerstones of active aging. Let’s take a look at these dimensions and how you can apply them to your life.
1. Physical Wellness
If the dimensions of active aging were a pyramid, physical wellness would be the base. After all, your physical wellbeing opens the door to being able to physically partake in all the experiences life has to offer. This aspect of active aging is often the most talked about and involves taking care of your physical body. As the foundation of active aging, and really overall health and wellness, you are likely already taking steps to foster your physical wellbeing, such as:
- Partaking in daily exercises such as walking, running, swimming, weight lifting, or gardening.
- Nourishing your body with plenty of healthy whole foods and nutritional supplements.
- Keeping up on routine doctor’s appointments.
2. Emotional Wellness
Whether positive or negative, your feelings impact how you experience life. This is why taking care of your emotional wellness is such an important part of active aging. Being emotionally healthy involves being able to recognize, validate, and express your feelings in a constructive way. For some, this may come easily, but for others, it may take more work. Here are a few ways you can work to improve your emotional wellness:
- Daily writing activities, including journaling or storytelling.
- Talking it out, such as in therapy or peer counseling.
- Managing stress with guided meditations or deep breathing exercises.
3. Cognitive Wellness
As the years go by, your brain begins to feel the effects of aging just like the rest of your body. This may present itself in a variety of different ways, like recurring brain fog, lapses in memory, or a shortened attention span, but these can often be avoided, or at least delayed if you pay attention to your cognitive wellness. There are many different ways to take care of your mind as the years go by, such as:
- Engaging your mind with challenging number or word puzzles.
- Tapping into your creativity through arts, crafts, or music.
- Nourishing your brain with a nootropic supplement.
4. Vocational Wellness
There’s no doubt that many of us find satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment through the work we do. For most of your life, much of your vocational wellness will likely come from your career, but what do you do after retirement? There are a variety of ways you can get personal satisfaction and enrichment in your life, even once you are out of the workforce. Here are a few ideas:
- Volunteer your time with a local charity organization, church, or youth program that works in your community.
- Find a part-time business opportunity that you are passionate about and can pursue after retirement.
- Lead a community group that will allow you to pass on the skills and knowledge you have acquired to others who may be interested.
5. Social Wellness
Did you know that your brain is wired to connect with other people? It’s true. In fact, recent studies have shown that people who build and maintain strong social ties have better overall health and tend to live longer. Thankfully, many of the activities previously suggested for improving other dimensions of your health can also help improve your social wellness. But if you are looking for ideas, here are a few:
- Join a class or group to socialize with others who have similar interests.
- Utilize technology to stay in touch with family and friends you may not be able to see in person.
- Stay involved with your family by encouraging regular family get-togethers or even offering to babysit the little ones.
6. Spiritual Wellness
It is natural for all humans to seek meaning and purpose, and having this connection to something bigger is an important aspect of healthy aging. Although spirituality is often equated with religion, you do not need to hold religious beliefs to be spiritually healthy. Instead, spiritual wellness is more about finding something that is meaningful to you and enriches your spirit. Caring for your spiritual wellness can take a variety of forms, including:
- Being involved in church services or other religious activities.
- Attending mindfulness, yoga, or T’ai Chi workshops.
- Spending time in nature or traveling to explore new locations.
7. Environmental Wellness
The environment we live in can either support or detract from all the other areas of wellness. This applies not only to your immediate surroundings but also to the world as a whole. Environmental wellness encompasses both taking control of your own surroundings and doing what you can to positively affect the global environment. Here are some ways to improve your own environmental wellness:
- Set up a spot in your home specifically for your favorite hobbies or pastimes.
- Maintain a regular cleaning schedule or hire someone to help you with daily chores.
- Create eco-friendly habits like recycling, conserving water, and reducing chemical use.
Take Control of Your Aging Journey
Aging is a fact of life. None of us can get around it, so you might as well enjoy the process and do what you can to make the aging process as fun and healthy as possible. Taking steps every day to take care of yourself in all areas of wellness will put you on the path to living a long, healthy, and active life. But if you are looking for a way to give your body a little extra support along the way, consider taking a superfood supplement like Renew.
Renew is infused with a variety of natural ingredients including wild blueberries, green tea extract, carnosine, and organic Wild Microalgae™. When combined, the ingredients nourish your cells to help support a vibrant and active lifestyle, no matter what age you are.
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