How to Add Years to Your Life and Life to Your Years

Today's guest blogger is Maggie Kimberl, from NowSourcing, Inc.

Cultivating a strong sense of purpose in your life can be beneficial to your health. According to a study published in the Journal of Psychological Science, subjects of the study who reported a strong sense of purpose and who were followed for 14 years after initial assessment experienced a 15% decrease in the risk of premature death compared to study subjects who reported less of a sense of purpose. Is it possible for people to lead longer lives when they work to cultivate a stronger sense of purpose?

Growing a career instead of spending your life going from one dead-end job to another is a great way to cultivate a sense of purpose in life, but even that comes with a price. Focusing time and energy on building a career to the point it is the only part of your identity that gives you a sense of purpose, by the time you reach retirement feelings of aimlessness may set in. Aimlessness can be detrimental to your health. According to a University of Michigan Health and Retirement study, low levels of purposefulness after retirement led to a 2.4x increase in death according to the several years-long study.

It can be difficult to cultivate a sense of purpose when you are struggling with stress or trauma, though. The long-term effects of stress and trauma can lead to a decreased ability to tolerate uncertainty, an enhanced fear of failure or rejection, an inability to achieve success in work or life, and susceptibility to things like depression and anxiety.

It is possible to overcome these feelings and get back on track toward a more purposeful life. Reframing problems as challenges that you have or can overcome can help you to see past the trauma to new possibilities.

This is where the rubber meets the road in cultivating a sense of purpose in life. When you don’t see possibilities you can’t see yourself in a role that has purpose. Reframing past bad experiences as something you were able to learn from allows you to see future obstacles as something you can also overcome, opening up the road in front of you to new possibilities.

What do people say gives their lives meaning?

69% Family

34% Career

19% Hobbies

11% Learning

When you do the work to open yourself up to new possibilities, each one of these areas can be cultivated to find new and deeper meaning and purpose. In your family, overcoming stress and trauma can strengthen family relationships so they last longer. Within your career, you can get out of the cycle of dead-end jobs and work to build a meaningful career that will last until retirement. For hobbies and learning, feeling a sense of connection and meaning with something bigger than yourself can help keep your mind sharp well into old age.

Education is always a great place to start when cultivating a sense of purpose. It opens your mind to the existence of new possibilities and can be a source of purpose in itself. Education can also help you find and develop new interests and hobbies, which can keep your mind happy and active. Look for community learning centers, community college courses, reading groups, and meetup groups in your area that correspond with your interests. When working to build your career, continuing education is a great way to build your skills and keep yourself relevant in your field.

Cultivating a sense of purpose can add years to your life and life to your years. Best of all, it’s something you can start today to improve your life with no special equipment needed.