Maximizing Emotional Health

by Sally Brown

Aging with Gusto facilitator

Maximizing Emotional Health is one of the 8 key contributors we highlight in Aging with Gusto. When we refer to emotional health we are referring to our feelings, our emotional welling being and our mental health. The research and literature I reviewed defined mental health as one’s emotional, psychological and social wellbeing and emphasized that mental health hugely impacts the overall quality of one’s life.

One of the things we emphasize throughout Aging with Gusto is the importance of having a positive perspective on aging. Our perspective and attitudes affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviors and therefore our emotional health. It is easy to get fixated on the challenges that can come with aging and to be influenced by stereotypes and negative messages we have received throughout our lives about becoming old. Yet, most older adults report good mental health and have fewer mental health problems than other age groups. Research tells us that people are generally more satisfied with their lives and are more optimistic as they grow older. Personality traits typically remain stable over time and wisdom and creativity usually continue until the end of life.

There are of course older adults who experience mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse or dementia. None of these are a normal part of aging, just as they aren’t when we are younger. They are real and treatable medical conditions. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing any of these mental health problems you should reach out for help, find support, or seek professional help from a doctor or therapist.

Striving to maximize our emotional health has many benefits. Some of them are:

• greater ability to cope with stress and life challenges
• more positive self-image and a focus on what is good in life
• increased productivity – being more active and doing more
• more positive relationships
• improved quality of life and greater participation in community

So, how do we maximize our emotional health? First off, you don’t have to figure it out all at once. Little changes can make a difference. Be gentle with yourself. Start small. Try different things. If they don’t work for you, stop doing them and try something else. There are a few things that are just generally good for you that also enhance your emotional health, like: getting rest and sleep, eating well, getting exercise, staying positive, maintaining social relationships, and focusing on appreciation and gratitude.

Specifically, what are some things to try?

• Develop a practice each day of identifying something you are grateful for.
• Practice mindfulness, which is really about being present with yourself and what you are doing. It can be breathing, yoga, walking in nature, meditation, gardening, or any other activity that calms and focuses you in the present. Discover what works for you.
• Think about challenges you have faced before and what helped you get through them. Incorporate those strategies to cope with current challenges.
• Take time to slow down, relax and calm yourself.
• Take action – do something.

As I was writing this and thinking about what is important to maintain my emotional health, I realized that doing all the Aging with Gusto key contributors supports my emotional wellbeing. I list the contributors below with some examples from my life for each one.

1. Doing things that are satisfying – doing things I enjoy like having leisurely mornings or taking road trips.
2. Striving to maximize my physical health – going on regular walks, getting enough sleep.
3. Striving to maximize cognitive health (thinking) – reading and doing puzzles.
4. Striving to maximize emotional health (feelings) – being in nature, taking time for reflection, and appreciation.
5. Learning new things and challenging yourself – using new tech platforms and tools.
6. Having choice and control over decisions that affect your life – choosing my morning coffee cup that goes best with the day ahead, deciding to put a dramatically different color siding on my house. Really there are decisions throughout the day, so I try to be aware when I am making little and big decisions.
7. Being connected with family, friends and a broader community – setting up regular get together times with friends, spending time with my local granddaughter, visiting my out of town family, being a part of the caring community of the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI).
8. Having a sense of purpose, doing things that are meaningful, and contributing to something greater than yourself – combating ageism and volunteering for the Aging with Gusto and YLI programs.

There is no right way or wrong way to maximize your emotional health, or to incorporate all the key contributors in your life. What works for me most likely will not work for you. What I do know though, is that if we strive to find ways that support our physical, cognitive and mental health, foster social connections, and that provide us with a sense of satisfaction, challenge and purpose, we will feel better about ourselves and our lives. Each of us needs to figure out what that combination is for ourselves given our circumstances, our values and our interests. So good luck to us all as we create our own paths forward.