This article written by Contributing Writer Chris Lewis.

How often do you wake up in the morning and say, “Wow – I feel old today!” I’ve been feeling this way too often lately. Maybe it’s a lack of sleep or other ailments, but being in my 30’s, I feel like I should still be more young at heart.  So I’ve decided to reinvigorate some healthy habits and explore a few new and exciting ways to stay “young” and slow down the mental aging process.

Recently, I heard about the Young@Heart Chorus. Have you heard of this group? Here’s a video of one of their performances.

If you like this song, they have several others posted on YouTube as well.  Definitely makes me feel younger!

Here’s some other things that help me to feel Young at Heart:

• Physical Activity is important, it keeps me flexible and limber. I also play with my kids as much as possible. There is nothing like a little rough housing to get the blood pumping and lighten the spirits.

• Eating healthy. Fruits and vegetables, as well as other healthy foods, keep my brain sharp and aid with memory apprehension.

• Eat in moderation. Not only is healthy food important forme, but also the amount of food that I eat is key to feeling good about myself. It also feels good when I don’t indulge myself with things that I know I shouldn’t have like junk food or too many sweets.

• Sleep. I need to get 8 hours of sleep as much as possible. Am I a good example of this? Not really. I usually get 6-7 hours a night, if I am lucky (my blogging tends to occur in the early morning hours).  I always feel better, though, when I do get a full 8 hours of sleep.

• Read, Read, Read . Reading is one of the most stimulating mental activities that I do.  The more I read, the more knowledgeable I feel.  It boosts confidence and brain activity, and it also sparks imagination and creativity. It also sets a great example for my kids.

• Look to the Positive. I try to look for the positive aspects of every situation, and I like to surround myself with other positive people too. Attitude is contagious, and a good attitude can definitely bring out the kid in yourself and others.

• Stay away from alcohol, smoking and drugs. Moderation is key for me.  All of these things seem to age people, so I choose to avoid them as much as possible.

• Do things that you did when you were a child with your children. I find that riding bikes or playing games with the girls makes me feel much younger at heart.  It brings back great memories, and it creates lots of new ones for me to savor and recall when I’m feeling “old” or depressed.

• Do Something Unexpected – Be Spontaneous. Every once in a while, I like to break out of my normal routine and try something new.  I might read about something on another dad or mom’s blog that sparks my interest, and then I try it.  It’s especially fun to try new family activities.

The more I think about the reason why I’ve been feeling down, the more I realize that changing this feeling is within my own control.  I’m also reminded of the lyrics of a song in the musical Rent about having a limited amount of time in a year and our lives:

Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Moments so dear
Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure – Measure A Year?
In Daylights – In Sunsets
In Midnights – In Cups Of Coffee
In Inches – In Miles
In Laughter – In Strife

In – Five Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand
Six Hundred Minutes
How Do You Measure
A Year In The Life?

And then, I also think about these immortal words of Frank Sinatra:

And I can’t help but feel young at heart again!

What do you do to remain young at heart?  Please share your strategies and tactics with us in the comments!

Chris Lewis is a Contributing Writer for Discovering Dad.  His personal site is Dad of Divas.  You can also follow Chris on Twitter @dadofdivas. Chris is also working on project called The Great Minivan Trade Up – check it out too.

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