a secret to longevity
People have searched for a fountain of youth for decades. While there is no magical way to turn back time, there are ways to support longer lives. Studies of people who live to be 80, 90, 100 and above have long found that one of the keys to health and longevity is having a sense of purpose. These people have a spoken or unspoken “why” and may think of it as a reason for getting up in the morning. They have a feeling of contributing to the others around them and the world. A recent study spanning 27 years, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, confirmed that a stronger sense of life purpose is associated with a longer life expectancy. This is fascinating. It not only cements the mind and body as one unit, despite modern healthcare trying to separate them, it also illuminates a modifiable factor to living better and longer. A modifiable factor is something that you have the power to change. You can shape your future and invest in growing your lifespan.
The JAMA study employed a Psychological Wellbeing Scale with statements such as those below and a scale to respond from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.”
“When I look at the story of my life, I am pleased with how things have turned out so far.”
“Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.”
“For me, life has been a continuous process of learning, changing, and growth.”
“I gave up trying to make big improvements or changes in my life a long time ago”
“I tend to be influenced by people with strong opinions”
How would you respond to these statements? Often, it helps to define your driving sense of purpose by considering your values, beliefs, and paths to service. To learn more about how to do this refer to my previous blog post. Your motivating purpose or direction does not have to be curing cancer or caring for people with leprosy. It could be a pet project at work. A project on equity or better service that aligns with your personal purpose. Or it could be using one of your skills for the greater good. If baking is your jam, it could be delivering weekly homemade baked goods to a rehabilitation center or nursing home. This could expand to running an online cooking lesson or sponsoring an event to donate books to the center. A bigger goal or sense of purpose also helps us navigate tough times. It can be a ray of light in a time of darkness – something to strive towards when we feel lost. In this way, it helps us build resilience and conquer stress and pain. A sense of purpose builds our healthspan and lifespan.
A strong, well-defined sense of purpose empowers us to take action despite setbacks and challenges. By connecting us to a bigger goal, in service of others, we are able to get out of own heads and recognize that while our projects may not be perfect, they are nonetheless helping other people and improving our community. We can lay down the mind bullies of judgement and comparison to focus on our goal. As in the fantastic milani figure below, purpose gives us the fuel to move forward and crush procrastination, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome.
Cheers to living a longer, healthier life driven by purpose, in sync with our values, and filled with more joy!
For detailed worksheets and a path to crafting your purpose, use the tools in the Relate chapter of the book, The Pain Solution: 5 Steps to Relieve and Prevent Back Pain, Muscle Pain, and Joint Pain without Medication.
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This piece is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Any health changes should be discussed with and evaluated by your own physician.