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Staying Curious is a Great Way to Stay Young

  People who stay young at heart try new things regularly, or at least semi-regularly.  When was the last time you did something new? Something you’ve never tried before? Was it recently or so long ago you can hardly recall? Or maybe it was somewhere in between. Trying new things benefits you both physically and psychologically. It makes you feel good, expands your horizons, and lets you know that you’re alive. Plus, the endorphins make you happy. Now, don’t think this is suggesting that you should run out and try skydiving or bungee jumping. If you want to do those things and are healthy enough for them, good for you. Go for it. Most people prefer more sedate (and safer) past times, and they also count for keeping you young at heart. Something as mundane as trying a new restaurant every couple of months can go a long way towards keeping you young at heart. Trying a new type of food is another step up on the scale. The types of new things you can try for this exercise are endless. Are there still things you want to learn? Look into taking classes at your local lifetime learning center or senior center. They offer a variety of low-cost and even free classes for older adults.

What about hobbies and artistic pursuits? Have you always wanted to learn to paint? Make jewelry? Build model rockets and launch them? Go out and do it. They all count. Want to write a novel? That counts as well. Traveling counts. So does learning to play a musical instrument. Hiking, taking a cruise, starting a garden, tutoring children, learning to bake -anything you have never done before counts as trying something new and will keep you young at heart. What if you can’t decide? That’s a great problem to have! Take out a sheet of paper and make a list of all the things you’re interested in trying. This is called a lifetime learning or bucket list. Mark off any that aren’t realistic or are out of reach right now for various reasons, such as your schedule or budget. Then prioritize what’s left and start trying everything on your list. Mark things off as you try them. If you make it through the whole list, make another one and do it again. You’ll be trying new things -and staying young at heart -for a long time to come. Share in the comments below something new you’ve tried and how it made you feel!