I’m forever reading books when I’m supposed to be working on finishing mine. But I ran across a new one by Dr. Christiane Northrup that has a message similar to the one I am sharing in my next book. In the introduction to Goddesses Never Age she reminds us that age is just a number. People in their 30s can act and feel as if they are older than someone in their 60s and vice versa. Similar to my motto that appears at the top of my website, Northrup writes “never feel as if the best days are behind you…” Then she drops a bombshell.
Relating research studies as well as her own experience as a physician, Northrup resolutely states that more than smoking or eating habits or genetics—our thoughts and beliefs determine our health and longevity. What we think and what we believe moves us closer to, or further away from, physical and mental deterioration. That means we have more control over our aging than we may have previously imagined.
This relates to the mind-body connection and how our mental states directly impact the chemistry and biology of our bodies. Our mindset affects our ability to survive and thrive. So what we think, believe, and feel shapes our health and the way we age.
What thoughts dominate your mind? What do you tell yourself over and over? If it’s something like “I’m having a senior moment” or “I’m too old for that” you might be setting yourself up for unnecessary decline. Try instead thinking and affirming “I am healthy and whole.” Words are powerful. Mind yours.
Likewise, beliefs affect your health. If you believe that everyone over 65 is on medications and has serious chronic conditions, you may be setting yourself up for poor health. If you believe your eyesight or memory will inevitably deteriorate, you attract those very conditions. Like the placebo effect or a self-fulfilling prophecy, long-held beliefs are shaping your future.
Stop and think about what you think. Pay attention to what you believe. The fountain of youth is between your ears.