The 10 Biggest Factors in Determining the Length of your Life
–By Sushma Pradhan
Too often, we live our life with a feeling of mere existence. However, we have to remember that life is not just existence. We need to create value out of every moment that we survive. When we aim to live long, why not aim to live healthy rather than just stretch those extra years with ventilators, masks, and popping in those multi colored and multi shaped pills. Here are ways that will help you not just add years to your life but give it a beautiful meaning too.
1. Love: The most beautiful and wonderful feeling ever. If you are not in love, then why not give an idea about it. In case, you have, then fall in love all over again. Falling in love does not necessarily mean romantically involved. Why not let your feeling flow, and express that love of yours. It could be in verse, a little gift, a small wonderful gesture, a warm smile, or perhaps just spending a little time. Express your love for your family, feel the joy of loving and getting love in return. Fall in love with humanity, then just wait and watch, how good you feel from inside. In return, just imagine how many illnesses you keep at bay, by merely falling in love again.
2. Indulge in morning ritual: Wake early up early and start your day. Watch the sunrise, and tell yourself you will not waste this wonderful day. Take each day as a gift and be ready to face the challenge it brings. Leave the comfort of the warm bed and go for long walks. A brisk walk in the morning and evening will add years to your life. However, the most important point here, you will look younger than your age. Wow! Don’t you think that it is a wonderful idea to save some money that you drain away for beauty treatment and therapy?
3. Suffer when there is to suffer: Well, this does not literally mean that you should not do anything about the sufferings in your life. Or else, you will feel as though you are reading a diary of a sadist. When I say suffering, I mean to point out that life has its share of high and low. Suffering is a part of life and one has to accept that. We lose our dear ones. We may not get the desired job. We may fall sick or are physically injured. Learn to feel the pain and grieve the moment. But, do not etch that pain in your heart. Try to move on and search for joy in life. Finding joy in living is extending your life.
4. Look at the positive side of life: We all know that we are not here to stay forever. We are all common mortals. We all make mistakes, learn to accept mistakes, and learn to rectify those mistakes not repeat them. Your negativity could come in a form of criticisms, self-doubt, or something you cannot do anything about. When these feelings start taking over your conscience, try to replace these feelings with positive ones. It is easy said then done, but the beginning has to be somewhere. So why not be now.
Do not make your heart a heap of scars. Learn to open your heart, receive love, and give love unconditionally. Learn the art of communicating. Try this it will do wonders for you.
5. Try few exercises: Are you a couch potato? Is your life sandwiched between different channels? Then think again? Just calculate, how many hours have left to live? Do that little addition and subtraction and then, yes unplug that TV. Now, the next time you can put in on, when you have some good movie you love or you get your favorite choice of DVD. Try some exercise for yourself, to get rid of all the junk that you have accumulated in your body. You may start a little bit of running, light push-ups. On the other hand, why not try something adventurous like rowing or hiking.
6. Mind your food: Do not eat your food half-heartedly, enjoy every morsel. However, loving and enjoying your food does not mean that you make a heap of the delicacy on your plate. Savor your food slowly and chew them well. Do not just gorge on them. Don’t you think that when you love to eat something why not eat slowly and enjoy them. Add colors to your plate. Well definitely not the colors of cream or icing, I mean the fruits and vegetables. However, add variety to your plate, I am sure you have heard the phrase; variety is the spice of life.
7. Discover the joy of travel: When was the last time you went for a vacation? I am sure you must be having that feeling of traveling some day. This does not necessarily mean that you wait until you reach that age of retirement or the day when you have accumulated enough money. Well, find out ways to cut down those extra expenses that you make, for instance eating out. You have to make it. One thing here for sure, you are young and this is the time to see the world. When your limbs give away, do you think you will be able to enjoy the steady climb to Eiffel Tower? Travel rejuvenates your life and adds days and yes not subtract days from your life.
8. Rediscover all that is important: This is one exercise that you need to do, if you want to add quality to your life. It might just take an hour or a little more.
Make a list of all that is important to you. Next, add to it everything that you want to do and expect out of life. Once the list is prepared, chalk out the list to just four to five things. These points are your core aim. These are the points that matter, focus, and take out time for these activities. You may eliminate the rest.
9. Do something different: Different does not mean that you think of ways to find your name in the Guinness Book of records. Different is doing something minute yet simple that will bring so much joy, which probably you had never thought of. For example, getting a little wet in the rain, feeling the shower touch you. Leave the manicured neighborhood and take a walk into a place where people are living in worse condition, talk to them, feel their pain. Play with children, buy flowers for yourself, talk to old people and just look around, you will find many more such opportunities.
10. Life exists beyond that cubicle too: Do you just identify yourself with computers, taking phone calls, shuffling papers and chatting away on the internet? Do not waste your life in the files and your eyes glued to the computer. Try to organize your life. Organizing work and bringing a discipline adds many years to your healthy living. No doubt, you are using the internet to read the article there are exceptions always. Once you are done with this reading, unplug the internet and think of ways to organize the papers and yes your life.
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