Here’s something that will blow your mind: just by thinking you are older than you really are you can actually make yourself physically older. A phenomenon known as the Aging Set Point.
Author Louise Hay explains:
“I read something a while ago that intrigued me. It was an article about a San Francisco medical school that had discovered that the way we age is not determined by genes, but by something they call the aging set point—a biological time clock that exists in our minds. This mechanism actually monitors when and how we begin to age. The set point, or aging clock, is regulated in great part by one important factor: our attitudes toward growing old.
For instance, if you believe that 35 is middle-aged, that belief triggers biological changes in your body that cause it to accelerate the aging process when you reach 35. Isn’t it fascinating! Somewhere, somehow, we decide what is ‘middle age’ and what is ‘old age.’
Where are you setting that aging set point within you?
I have this image in my mind that I am going to live to 96 years and still be active, so, it’s very important that I keep myself healthy.”
Personally, I feel like I made the mistake of aging myself prematurely. When I moved to Arizona six years ago people would ask me why I moved. My answer? Because I was having a mid life crisis. No wonder I’m starting to look like George Costanza not just act like him!
If this is true and the idea of an Aging Set Point is real then this is something that should be taught in our schools at an early age. We should understand just how powerful our mindsets are and that there could be real physical consequences to the way we perceive ourselves.
For now I’ll just have to trick myself into thinking that I’m younger than I really am. So if you’ll excuse me I’m off to go watch cartoons.
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