Healthy, Positive New Year’s Resolutions for Seniors

A new year is a perfect time to reinvent yourself. Seniors can get the most out of a healthy, positive New Year’s resolution by setting achievable goals. Here are some tips to help.

Fill your life with power: read more

Nothing beats brain power. In this internet-heavy age, we spend more time than ever searching for information and less time finding meaning. While social media sites and Youtube videos make life more interesting, they lack the depth of high-quality books. Whether you choose fiction or non-fiction, reading longer-form pieces challenges you to organize details, invite new perspectives, and revamp your thinking. The result is richer, more vivid dreams and ideas.

If you want to try reading but feel intimidated, ask your local librarian for suitable books. Then set goals for yourself in minutes spent reading instead of completed chapters per day. This will help you focus on enjoying your reading time, free of the pressure to rush through your selection.

If you want to avoid the embarrassment of another lost book or a late fine, don’t worry. Books you can read on your smartphone, tablet, or other electronic devices are automatically returned on their due date. Since they can be checked out multiple times, they also allow you to read at your own pace.

Surround yourself with plants

Turning to nature is a top choice when it’s time to get away from it all. While you’re probably already familiar with the feeling of enjoying a short walk in the woods or a beautiful sunset, you may need to learn about the science behind their stress-soothing abilities.

Shinrin-yoku is a Japanese word that means “forest bathing.” It involves luxuriating in wooded areas, and a recent study found that those who routinely luxuriate in the sights, sounds, and scents through shinrin-yoku have lower levels of stress hormones in their bodies.

Since you spend most of your time indoors, forest bathing is a refreshing way to add variety to your day. Don’t live near a national park? No worries. Even spending fifteen minutes near a tree-lined courtyard can have positive effects. Just focus all your senses on the plants around you, and don’t skip the SPF.

Play up your passions

Does dancing elevate your spirit? Perhaps you have a lifelong love of music or painting. The arts are perennial favorites for promoting everything from brain health to good behavior among school children. Whether you’re a lifelong devotee or have never really considered such creative pursuits, it’s never too late to activate your inner artist.

One thing that keeps many people from trying art is the cost. Fortunately, many senior centers, community groups, and colleges offer arts programs where you can try various arts ranging from pottery to Chinese calligraphy, without investing in expensive materials. If you decide to pursue one of these interests, you can minimize the cost of your materials by:

• Taking additional classes
• Renting equipment
• Borrowing supplies from the library or a friend
• Buying or bartering for used equipment

Further define your purpose

You probably have more than an inkling about the essential meaning of your life. This can help you feel fulfilled as you reflect on your past. When you seek to define your purpose further, you can emerge triumphant.

While looking for meaning tends to be filled with thoughts and discussions, finding your purpose typically involves actively participating in shaping your world your way. Volunteering allows you to take various positive actions, including cleaning up a local park or tutoring an adult learner for the GED.

Finding an opportunity can be difficult if you haven’t volunteered in several years or are new to it. Fortunately, various national, state, and local programs can match you with volunteer positions. The AmeriCorps Seniors, for example, matches 170,000 willing hands with work that helps them find additional meaning and sharpen their life’s purpose.

Cheers to a healthier new you

New Year’s resolutions don’t need to include training for the Olympics or earning a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu. Consistent activity that helps you grow as a person is what is essential. As you raise your glass this New Year’s Eve, take a moment to toast the more disciplined, focused, and well-rounded you that you’re going to meet this year.

Whatever you’re looking for—the right retirement setting or a rewarding career path—Springpoint offers opportunities. A fresh beginning to explore the best life has to offer, living how you want, where you want, doing what you want.