20 reasons to love your age!

​Hello! HAPPY Mon-YAY!!
​How are you doing? How was your weekend?! I hope it was fabulous, and of course, healthy :D It's the beginning of another week and a great time to review your goals or set new ones! Whatever your goals are, be kind to yourself and be realistic!! That's a big key to forming good habits that last a lifetime. And remember...never look back! Instead, always look forward because that's the direction you're heading!!

​I thought I'd switch it up today by posting something a little different :D I have learned that age is JUST a number. People are eating healthier, exercising more, and living longer! In other words, each of us can live strong, healthy, vibrant, energetic lives for a long time to come!! NO need to feel old at 40 and beyond...lol! I certainly plan on staying healthy and happy for many years ahead!! If you're not "older" yet or not sure how you feel about getting older...don't log off :D Below are 20 reasons to love your age in your 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, and beyond. So...make yourself comfortable, grab a snack, and see if you learn anything new ;) ​

​*The following information is from the Prevention Magazine, October issue.
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​1. You may have a more active social life. Researchers found that although people have fewer close relationships as they age, they compensate by becoming more involved. 

​2. Your outlook on life is sunnier. Younger adults pay more attention to negative information, while those ages 55 and older focus an equal amount of attention on the positives and negatives in life, according to research from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.  

​3. You're more generous. A university in Singapore found that older people are more inclined to give handouts to strangers than younger people are. 

​4. Simple pleasures bring more joy. A 2014 study showed that while extraordinary experiences contribute to happiness at all stages of life, older people felt that everyday moments, like talking to kids or eating good food, brought them more joy, compared with younger people. 

​5. You're less jealous. Young people are more envious than older adults are, particularly regarding appearance, romance, and social success, a 2015 study found. 

​6. Your overall quality of life is better. People ages 65 and older were more likely to say they were thriving in key areas: purpose, social, financial, community, and physical, compared with younger age groups. 

​7. You probably won't feel like a senior when you're a senior. One study found that people ages 70 and older reported feeling about 13 years younger than their chronological age.

​8. Dementia rates are decreasing. The percentage of people ages 65 and older with dementia dropped by nearly 3 points between 2000 and 2012, according to a 2017 study.

​9. You aren't as easily duped. While some experts have argued that older people are more vulnerable to consumer fraud due to decreasing cognitive skills, Canadian scientists found evidence that older adults may be less-frequent victims than other age groups. Why? Some aspects of aging, such as increased experience and changes in lifestyle and income, may protect older people from falling for fraud. 

​10. A slower brain might be a positive. Research shows that although the brain slows with age, it may actually be because older people are processing all the information they've retained over the years.

​11. You're better at solving problems. Older people are more adept at thinking of creative solutions than younger people are, research shows. 

​12. Those extra 5 or 10 pounds may not matter as you age. Australian researchers found that adults over 65 who were overweight or at the high end of the healthy BMI range had a lower risk of mortality than those at the low end of the healthy range. 

13. You'll live longer without disability. A Harvard University study found that the increase in life expectancy in the past 2 decades has been accompanied by an even greater increase in years free of disability.

​14. Your fears about aging probably won't become reality. A large poll found that while more than half of younger adults expect to experience memory loss when they're older, only a quarter of older adults actually do. 

​15. You feel more rested. You do sleep less as you age, but there's an upside. A Swiss study found that older people report better-quality sleep and feel more awake during the day.

​16. The definition of "old age" is getting younger. A 2015 study revealed that today's older adults show higher levels of cognitive function and report more feelings of well-being than adults of the same age did 20 years ago. 

​17. Your learning skills may improve. People ages 50 to 79 retain, and may even enhance, their ability to focus on important information while ignoring less-relevant data. 

​18. You have less strife in your life. Older adults typically have less conflict with family members. Researchers say 1 reason may be that as people age, they get better at regulating their emotions when something upsets them, making them less confrontational than younger people. 

​19. You can be just as strong. There's little difference in the amount of muscle you can gain at any age. With the proper workouts, you can make the same gains in your 70's that a 20 year old can. 

​20. Your priorities change for the better. Older people tend to focus more on the value of their time and less on money than younger people do, an outlook associated with greater happiness, according to research published in Social Psychological and Personality Science.

​Do you have a reason why you love your age? If so, please share!! Don't be shy...bring it on!!!
​If you have any questions about the 30 Day Waist Challenge that we're doing this month, leave your question in the comments section and I'll get right back to you :)
​I'll be posting again on Thursday, so make sure to check back in! Have a great week!!