T<\/span>he standard advice around successful aging is no secret. Eat well. Work out. Drink plenty of water. Get enough sleep. All of these guidelines are true. We do need to do the fundamentals. But going through the motions isn\u2019t enough\u2026or at least shouldn\u2019t be. We need to do them fully awake and aware of what a gift it is to do all of them.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve just spent the past nine years helping my team put together a coffee table book that I think of as a love letter to life. It was an exercise in humility. What images and words should we choose to capture the glory and brevity of our time on earth?<\/p>\n One of my favorite photos in the book is a close-up of an older gentleman. His face is alight in joy and wonder and anticipation. His weathered hands are in the frame, buttoning up a bright yellow rain jacket. He is outside, clearly ready to embrace the day, however cool or rainy it may be. Superimposed on the image are the words, \u201cEvery age is the best age.\u201d<\/p>\n I believe this with everything in me. Healthy aging is all about seizing the day every day, wringing the potential from it, and letting the awe wash over us. It\u2019s about being willing to grow old (after all, that\u2019s what it takes to live a long life!) and truly living (not just existing) while we\u2019re alive.<\/p>\n We don\u2019t get any do-overs in this life\u2014and we\u2019re here for a short time. Why should any of us settle for an existence that is any less than exhilarating? Yes, owning our wellness is essential. Doing the basics is important. But we must go deeper to optimize the miracle of being here right now. Here are a few mind shifts and habits that will give you what your body, mind, and soul need to feel truly alive and well as each year passes.<\/p>\n Know that your body is a sophisticated and fascinating machine. Take time every day to become more \u201cat home\u201d in it and honor everything it can do. Move your body intentionally, joyfully, and every day if possible. Find a way to move that feels great to you. This might mean dancing to joyful music, joining a group fitness class, or taking your dog for a long walk or jogging. How you move doesn\u2019t matter. Just move. Your heart and lungs and limbs and muscles will thank you later (and now).<\/p>\n How long has it been since you\u2019ve savored the tangy-sweet flavor of a cherry tomato or the satisfying crunch of sourdough crust? When was the last time you breathed deeply to appreciate the scent of a baked good rising in your oven? Eating\u2014one of the greatest pleasures in life\u2014is an even more joyful experience when we mindfully enjoy our meals with all our senses. Take your time when you eat, experiencing all the flavors and textures so you can savor every last bite. Meditate on the love that went into the meal\u2019s preparation and the gratitude you feel receiving it.<\/p>\n Establish some everyday (or as-needed) rituals that help you live more intentionally and mindfully and bring you daily comfort. They can be as simple as making your bed each day or as personal as a daily appointment for prayer or reflection. A few ideas:<\/p>\n Life is richer when you maintain strong, loving relationships with people who really get you! If you haven\u2019t already done so, find some folks to \u201cdo life\u201d alongside. Let them into your heart, be vulnerable, and make sure you show up for them as well. It\u2019s the depth, warmth, and integrity of those relationships that matter.<\/p>\n Every day, take some time to pause and get still. Give your intuition and your subconscious a chance to speak. This is an important time because it allows you to address big questions you may otherwise not hear or acknowledge. It\u2019s a soul excavation of sorts, and over time, you will become clearer about your desires, dreams, insights, and the next steps you should take to achieve them.<\/p>\n As wonderful as life can be, it also inevitably brings pain and grief. In the aftermath of trauma or tragedy, look for the good as you begin to heal. Tough times can serve as crucibles for learning, transformation, and purpose. They teach us important things, like how to survive and how strong we are. And often, we can use what we learn to help others navigate their own crises.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t sit and wait for life to happen. Time passes all too quickly, whether you make it count or not. But you\u2019ll have more fun and be more fulfilled if you approach each day intentionally. Make some plans. Do something. Don\u2019t waste it. Think deeply about what will bring you not just momentary happiness but true fulfillment over the long haul. (Your soul excavation work will help inform these insights.) Then, go out and make the life you\u2019ve envisioned a reality.<\/p>\n A mysterious clock started the day you entered the world. You really have no idea when it will stop. What you do with that knowledge will determine how you choose to live life every day and at every age. Choose mindfully, wisely, and in perpetual gratitude.<\/p>\n Mind shifts and habits to help you live while you\u2019re alive<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15768,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[196,197],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-winter-2025","category-winter-2025-features"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15647"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15934,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15647\/revisions\/15934"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthyaging.net\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Honor the genius of your body<\/h3>\n
Make mealtimes a feast for your senses<\/h3>\n
Take comfort in rituals<\/h3>\n
\n
Find (and invest in) your tribe<\/h3>\n
Listen to what your soul is telling you<\/h3>\n
Look for the good in devastating situations<\/h3>\n
Stay awake. Make some plans<\/h3>\n
Jill Palmquist is vice president and chief storyteller of luxury lifestyle and fitness brand Life Time, Inc., and author of the new coffee table book In This Lifetime<\/em><\/a>, published by Wise Ink. For further information, visit In This Lifetime<\/a>.<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"