Looking ahead, I want to live a long, happy, and healthy life -- don't we all? Lucky for me, my grandfather is 100 years old and doesn't look like he's stopping anytime soon. But do genes really count in how long you live? Is there anything a person can do to prolong their life?
As my grandfather and I were standing chatting outside on a Sunday afternoon -- I had the urge to ask him what his secret to long life was. Many people ask him that -- but he has a sense of humor and always says something funny. This time I wanted to get to the bottom of it. I wanted to know his secret. So I asked.
His answer caught me by surprise. I almost knew he'd say something like eating the food you grow, or taking care of your digestive system, or something along those lines.
You see, my grandfather had a big garden most of his life. He grew many different fruits, vegetables, and herbs. As a child, I vividly remember climbing his ginormous cherry tree and playing hide and seek in his beautiful garden. Expecting an answer about nutrition just made sense.
Instead, he said: "Be thankful for everything, always be happy, and always look at life from a positive perspective."
My jaw dropped. I honestly didn't expect such a thoughtful answer from my grandfather. He is a big joker, so I expected him to grab my cheeks, pinch them, and say what a curious little girl I am.
I thought long and hard about my grandfather's words of wisdom and after a long conversation with him -- I would like to share the three key secrets with you.
Be thankful for everything
Sometimes in life, being thankful is the last thing on your mind but before going on this point, he quoted Thessalonians 5:18 -- "Give thanks in all circumstances." He said that life isn't always easy, and it's very important to be thankful anyways. For everything life brings you.
Always be happy
When you're happy, you make other's happy and you change the way people feel, but most importantly, you change the way you feel.
Always look at life from a positive perspective
Life isn't always a walk in the park, you cannot control many things that happen to you, but you can control your outlook. Everything that happens, happens for a reason, trust that. Always find a positive side to every situation.
It's been just a few short months since my grandfather and I had this conversation but it has made such a huge impression on my life. After reading many articles, findings, and research on happiness -- it just proves that there is a positive reaction that happens in your brain and body when you're happy, and thankful!
Has anyone told you their secret to a long life? Please share in the comments below!