How to Achieve a Balanced Inner Life Past 50

Everyone ages, and as we get older, we embrace the wisdom life experience gives us. No matter who you are, everyone gets a chance to put all that they have learned into action. If you are putting what you have learned to use as you go, odds are you’ll live a happier, more balanced life in your later years.

However, living with a balanced inner life is more difficult than just positive thinking. Learning what is important is a lifelong journey that brings constantly shifting answers. Some days will be easier than others to feel peaceful. However, with mindfulness, you’ll be able to stay balanced longer and with consistency.

We understand this struggle, and that’s why we have compiled a list of easy adjustments you can take on as you get older. By following these tips, you can truly strive to live a life that is balanced and bountiful.

Treat Your Mental Health Like You Do Your Physical Health

One important pathway to get balanced is learning how important it is to take care of your mental health.

It’s easy to brush away our thoughts and focus on physical tasks. For those of us in older generations, it can even feel impolite at times to bring it up in conversation with friends and family. Many of us are simply not used to talking about mental health.

However, sweeping your mental health under a rug is helping no one. It’s essential that we take care of our minds. One simple tip is journaling as a mode of cathartic writing. You can get all your feelings out privately with a diary, or you could channel your energy into creative fiction.

If you struggle with depression or anxiety, another option is an express TMS session. TMS stands for Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. It’s a form of non-invasive therapy that is gaining in popularity, particularly for patients whose depression or anxiety doesn’t respond to common forms of treatment such as medication. One of the appealing aspects of this therapy is that a session can be as short as five minutes.

Remember: if you were sick with the flu, you would go to the doctor. You should think about your mental health in the same way. If you don’t feel well on the inside and you don’t take care of it, you’ll never feel balanced.

Talking about mental health might never feel quite so easy for some of us. However, the truth is the ability to feel balanced can’t begin unless your mind and inner life are in order.

Be an Active Part of Your Community

Another important factor to achieve inner balance is to give yourself ample time with your community. Research has shown that being part of a community can extend one’s life. Everyone needs to feel like they’re part of something larger than themselves. This can consist of a friend group, neighborhood club, family, or local organization.

Losing touch with your community is unfortunately easy to do when you get older. If you don’t make time to get active in what’s going on around you, you may be surprised by how quickly time slips away. A sense of belonging in your community empowers you to live your most actualized life.    

Touch Base With Your Loved Ones

A community can make you feel part of something larger, but you also need intimate friendships, lovers, and companions.

If you feel your life has been lacking lately, examine if this is because you’ve allowed distance to grow between you and the people you care about. Often, we forget to check in with those around us. One easy fix is to build “check-ins” into your schedule. Even a quick phone call will suffice with a loved one.