Advice From 95 Year Olds: Reflect More, Risk More, Do More That Will Live On in New Year

Instead of a New Year's resolution this year, why not take advice from some 95-year-old people?

In 2008, Dr. Anthony Campolo, professor of sociology at Eastern College in St. David's, Pennsylvania, surveyed 50 people, all 95 years old and beyond, and asked them one question: "If you could live your life over, what would you do differently?"

Their answers were surprising. It boiled down to three basic things: reflect more, risk more, and do more things that will live on after you're dead.

That seems like good advice for the New Year!

Reflect More.

Campolo explained that the respondents said they would reflect more if given a life re-do. They would "stop, think, and consider with intensity" the things they took for granted the first time. He says people fail to focus on or reflect upon things with real personal significance.

I have also seen this summed up as stop, listen, and pay attention. Campolo's advice was not to be absent or allow the meaningless passage of time. Under this category, he also included reflect more on family, or treasuring your spouse and children.

This year, remember that every moment, every memory made, and every life experience is an opportunity to be joyful.

Risk More.

In other words, take necessary gambles in life. The 95-year-olds in the study didn't examine their lives in terms of all the successes or failures but by the risks not taken or what could have been. They realized that many things they may have deemed a success or failure weren't so important in retrospect.

In other words, do exciting things with your life.

Many things require taking a risk. We cannot have friends without risk, for example. Having a successful marriage and fulfilling a career or purpose also involves risk.

Psychology Today magazine addressed the issue of assessing life regrets in a 2010 article. It described a study showing people often regret not pursuing their dream job or career.

Do More Things That Will Live on After You're Dead.

One of these days, you are going to die. What are people going to put on your tombstone? Will they talk about the titles you held and the awards you won, or will they stand around your grave and recall how you made a difference in their lives?

Campolo stresses that you don't necessarily have to do something spectacular, just something that positively affects someone else's life. Be the change you want to see. Take steps to impact your community and your neighborhood positively!

Do not just take my word for it. Listen to the advice from the 50 old folks in this study. If you cannot learn something from them, you cannot learn from anybody!

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Does this article make you interested in taking the Engaged Neighbor pledge? Five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge online at http://engagedneighbor.com.

Contact the blog author, David L. Burton at dburton541@yahoo.com.

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