Aging Gracefully: The Role of Laughter
When most of us think about graceful aging, our image may be that of an older woman displaying natural and effortless beauty. Such women appear happy and are filled with positive like-minded friends – often filled with events on their calendar that keep them looking ahead rather than back.
Laughter can be an immensely helpful tool in dealing with stressors, deepening relationships, and adding joy to our lives. Unfortunately, though it may be harder than before to find time for laughter as we grow older; fortunately it is still possible to reap its many advantages by making small modifications to daily routines.
Reminding ourselves that aging is a natural process and there are certain things we cannot influence – like genetics – can help. But there are things we can control; one effective strategy to achieve this goal is prioritising our health and well-being.
At our best, it is crucial that we take an active approach in life and ask ourselves questions such as “what do I want out of life?” and “how do I want to feel?” With this information in hand, we can create plans to reach our goals – if that means feeling healthier and happier through exercise or healthier diet choices; in addition to regularly visiting a physician for checkups and screening tests.