There’s a lot in the world to be anxious about these days, and that doesn’t even include your own personal set of challenges and losses as you get older. There’s no doubt that similar to childbirth, you never really know what getting older will be like until you actually go through it for yourself, but there are plenty of societal cues (along with aging friends and relatives) that may give you a pretty grim picture if that’s all you know. Negative attitudes about aging abound, though perhaps there’s a glimmer of change on the horizon as new generations begin to step into their later years.

For example, in a new poll released by OnePoll and commissioned by Great Lakes Wellness Collagen, ¾ of the 2000 respondents said age is not something to fight or fear but rather a chance to live a more fulfilling and emotionally healthy life  (though 60% of those same respondents stated they avoid sharing their age for fear of being “judged”). In essence, the poll suggested that Americans may be tired of the pressure to fight aging, and perhaps we are beginning to see a shift toward embracing the natural process of aging. In fact, poll respondents listed their top “benefits” of getting older, including learning new things about yourself or the world, gaining wisdom and confidence, and having more life experiences. 

In fact, finding positives as you get older doesn’t mean you must ignore the reality of life’s challenges but it means you should embrace what’s positive wherever and whenever you find it, for a more fulfilling life and a healthier one to boot. It means feeling grateful for what you can still do and what you can look forward to in the time ahead. Or, another way of thinking more positively, is to consider your gains rather than your losses. For example, instead of dwelling on your inability to figure out an app on your phone, how about celebrating how much technology you’ve mastered over the years- and be kind to yourself, as you have the ability to master yet another new technology with patience and the right support. 

And your positive attitude may just reward you with a longer and healthier life, according to a recent study out of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. According to this study of 14,000 adults over the age of 50, those with the most positive attitude and satisfaction with aging had a 43% lower risk of dying from any cause over a 4-year period compared with those who were the least satisfied. How to keep a more positive attitude despite the realities of life? The suggestions include staying socially active, perhaps by volunteering in some meaningful way or mentoring those who would benefit from your skills.  Furthermore, you can enhance your feelings of gratitude for what you have in your life, rather than dwell on what you’ve lost, by such techniques as practicing mindfulness, keeping a journal, expressing appreciation whenever you can, and even reframing past events in a new light. Finally, ditch those negative aging stereotypes whenever and wherever you encounter them. Perhaps you can start by finding the perfect positive message on the Etsy website AgeFriendlyVibes.