By
Dr Neil Flanagan
Submitted On January 20, 2016
In Australia we celebrate Australia Day. Many people use this day
to catch up with friends, or have a barbie, or whatever. For most
people, Australia Day provides something to look forward to.
Having something to look forward to is an important part of living a longer, (and hopefully) better life. It's more than 10 years since 'The Berlin Aging Study' found that one key characteristic of people who lived to be 100 was that they had some reason to get up the next day, and the next, and the next. The key was that they made sure that they always had something to look forward to. And that 'something' was an individual thing, it needn't be a major, life-changing event. So, even if Australia Day is not on your list, make sure you have something else. If the event has meaning for you (and doesn't harm anyone else, of course), that's all that really matters. One person's hot button might leave another cold, that's the way life is.
While events such as Australia Day may be BIG deal to many people, no one can tell you what you should be looking forward to. In a world where there are many who are eager to drive your bus and tell you what's 'good' for you, only you can decide. Just make sure that you always have something to look forward to. Research is now confirming what Viktor Frankl observed in the Death Camps of World War II; that death rates decreased leading up to a major event (Christmas, for example) and increased after that event when the hoped-for change did not occur. People live longer when they have something to look forward to.
The challenge for you and me is not only to ensure we have something to look forward to but also to replace that something after the event has passed. After Australia Day, there's sure to be other major events to look forward to. For me, it will be the start of Rugby's Super 15.
Sam Walton, of Wal-Mart fame, reminded us that it's not what we drive, but what drives us. Always having something to look forward to helps to provide that drive.
Having something to look forward to is an important part of living a longer, (and hopefully) better life. It's more than 10 years since 'The Berlin Aging Study' found that one key characteristic of people who lived to be 100 was that they had some reason to get up the next day, and the next, and the next. The key was that they made sure that they always had something to look forward to. And that 'something' was an individual thing, it needn't be a major, life-changing event. So, even if Australia Day is not on your list, make sure you have something else. If the event has meaning for you (and doesn't harm anyone else, of course), that's all that really matters. One person's hot button might leave another cold, that's the way life is.
While events such as Australia Day may be BIG deal to many people, no one can tell you what you should be looking forward to. In a world where there are many who are eager to drive your bus and tell you what's 'good' for you, only you can decide. Just make sure that you always have something to look forward to. Research is now confirming what Viktor Frankl observed in the Death Camps of World War II; that death rates decreased leading up to a major event (Christmas, for example) and increased after that event when the hoped-for change did not occur. People live longer when they have something to look forward to.
The challenge for you and me is not only to ensure we have something to look forward to but also to replace that something after the event has passed. After Australia Day, there's sure to be other major events to look forward to. For me, it will be the start of Rugby's Super 15.
Sam Walton, of Wal-Mart fame, reminded us that it's not what we drive, but what drives us. Always having something to look forward to helps to provide that drive.
You can download a free copy of one of Neil Flanagan's
bestselling books BLINK! The Speed of Life (How to add years to your
life and life to your years) when you visit http://www.neil.com.au and while you're there have your say on anything mentioned in this article.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dr_Neil_Flanagan/238005
No comments:
Post a Comment