Prior to following the mantra it’s imperative to understand the meaning of “staying young”. Our physical body would give way and time will inevitably have it’s mark on it. Doesn’t matter if you use Botox or not, it is just impossible to reverse the laws of nature and defeat time. All that we can do is to rise above the physical beauty and focus on our inner selves.
To me staying young would be to have our thoughts in line with the current trends. If our thoughts are in vogue, all the other things would take care of themselves. Well, then again a happy mind would let us think in vogue. So being happy is the crux of staying young.
Here are a few simple tips that may help us:
- 1. Get a control on your taste buds:
Avoid junk. Say no to red meat. Do not consume more than 12 oz of alcohol in a day. Do not smoke as it really makes you look old.
Eat a lot of ingredients that have Omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Eat green and leafy vegetables and fruits. Consider having dry fruits and the best one of them all would be walnuts.
Have green tea. One serving of red wine per day, they say is good for your heart and blood circulation.
- 2. Keep yourself in shape:
This is really important as you need to feel good about yourself in the way you look. There’s no better feeling than knowing how well maintained & fit you are. So love yourself at least that much. My firm belief is that if you don’t love yourself, then you can’t vouch for loving others as well, no matter how selfless you are. Give yourself at least 15 min everyday to work out, e.g., yoga, dancing or regular exercise.
- 3. Endeavour to be stress free:
“Meditation” is the key word. There are a lot of things that may happen at home or office that may get you stressed but your goal is not to allow this. So what do you do? Moment you feel the adrenaline rush, you calm yourself down and sit quietly in a place where you know that nobody is going to disturb you for at least 10 min, while chanting any mantra and breathing in and out. Focus on the inhalation and exhalation. If other thoughts are trying to enter your mind, don’t stop them as the more you stop them the more stubborn they will get. Let them all enter but you make sure that you don’t leave your focus point i.e., inhalation and exhalation. The more you practice the better you will get at it.
Stress is a major deterrent to staying young and healthy as the adrenaline rush gets our heart exhausted and in turn affects the entire circulatory system.
Another way to defeat stress is to do something that you love to do. Please find time for doing your most favorite thing in a day. Trust me this really would make you happy.
Sleep for 6 to 8 hours a day. Lack of sleep gets one depressed and oversleeping makes one lazy and that is why we have to strike the right balance.
- 4. Eat the right way:
Avoid eating in large quantities. If you really like the food, then keep it for another serving after a couple of hours. Do not drink cold water or any other drink while you are eating as this hampers your digestion and gives you a paunch. If you want, you may drink Luke warm water as this aids in the process of digestion.
Do not drink water before 20-30 min after you have finished your meals. Do not smoke after meals as this is one of the most hazardous thing one can to do to themselves.
- 5. Dress the way you want:
Please use your own discretion to dress the way you are comfortable. One could be 16 yrs old or 65 years old, they should be able to carry off what they wear. Most importantly if you got a body that you can flaunt, then why not? Please do not consider remarks of some ageists as they really don’t matter. What do you know; it just may be the same as “Oh! The grapes are sour!”
- 6. Keep away from some people:
Please stay away from people who stress you out. There are some people who would like to put you down just to prove a point or are extremely judgmental, and they are so capable of getting you depressed, which is completely contrary to your goals.
Also, there are people who condemn us if we do not display an age-appropriate code of conduct, as set by their own selves and the moment you hear those ageist remarks, your bell should start ringing. Stay Away! Stay Away! Stay Away!
So please stay focused and know how to modestly avoid the company of such people. If you can’t figure this out then practicing all the other tips would go in vain.
- 7. The company that you must keep:
Be in the company of people who get you engaged and are constructive, as the maturity in them drives you closer to your goals. When someone’s company makes you feel good and you come back home more assimilated than you were before then you know that it’s the right company and what you need to do.
- 8. Pamper yourself:
Once in a fortnight just go ahead and pamper yourself. Just walk into a massage parlor or get in for a beauty therapy that relaxes your nerves. This will make you feel good. Or just go shopping all by yourself if you don’t find company and get yourself some cool stuff.
Cook some good food just for yourself even if there’s no body else to savor it. There are a plethora of things you can do to make the inner yourself happy so just figure out and do it.
- 9. Please do not take yourself too seriously:
“How could he do this to me?”, “why me?” … when questions like these come up in your mind, its is likely that you would get grumpy and the happiness would vanish. Remember, nobody except for yourself takes you so seriously. Therefore take everything with a pinch of salt and focus back on your goals.
- 10. Don’t get bogged down:
Set backs and downfalls are a part of life just like success is. Success is a reward for your ability to stay put, while you were faced with your downfalls. So take everything as a lesson and be glad that you are richer by one lesson and move on with your undeterred perseverance. This will add tremendous confidence to your personality and boost your self-esteem.
- 11. Pack up and get going:
Once in a while travel to places, either alone or along with the people you like to be with. Travelling rejuvenates you and it is very important for a healthy mind and body. Even if it’s not very far away place but away from home and one must do this at least once in 6 months.
- 12. Keep your brain working and busy:
Don’t be idle. You are the best one to know if your mind is engaged with productive thoughts or not. If not, then get your brain to do some constructive work now. Read, write, blog, construct, decorate, design, study, social work or do anything that would add value to yourself and your surroundings.
Catch up with the latest happenings around you and be completely updated on the time & age that you are living in.
The last but not the least, is for you to be passionate enough about staying young and healthy. Be a self motivator and do it.
A colorful ride 