Path to Prosperity - No: 11

Lesson Eleven - Training For Longevity


A human being is like a fine clock, which, if properly cared for, will keep splendid time and run for a century, but which, if neglected or abused, will very soon get out of order, and wear out or give out long before it should.

The mental ideal determines what shall be built into the life, whether it shall be youthful or aging conditions. Every person has the inherent capacity for prolonging their life, increasing their potential longevity; but they must first understand the mental principle.

Perfect health, vigor, and robustness are impossible to one whose mind is a slave to the conviction that they are on the decline, that they are going down-hill physically, that their powers are gradually lessening through age.

Most people do not realize that their mental attitude is a positive energy which is constantly creating results. Every time we focus the mind, we are producing, creating something.

No one is old until the interest in life is gone out of them, until their spirit becomes aged, until their heart becomes cold and unresponsive; as long as you touch life at many points you can not grow old in spirit.

A person is old, no matter what their years, when they are out of touch with youth, with its ideals, its points of view, out of touch with the spirit of their times; when they have ceased to be progressive and up-to-date.

The minds of many people have become unbalanced because they did not break the habit of night picturing, visualizing their troubles and trails, which are always so much exaggerated and appear in such fearful vividness during the night.

Before falling into unconsciousness, we should fill the mind with bright, encouraging, inspiring thoughts. We should never go to sleep until we have restored our lost balance, gained perfect mental poise, until we have put into operation the forces which would tend to harmonize and bring peace and joy into our lives.

We age rapidly because we do not keep our mental instruments in tune. Discord, grating and jarring whittle life away very quickly. We suffer when we are discordant because we have violated the fundamental law of divine harmony. Poise, mental serenity, is a friend of youth and tends to refresh, renew, and rejuvenate the body.

Look as though you were young. Dress as youthful as is consistent with the dignity and good sense of your years. Do not stoop over, or shuffle your feet. Throw your shoulders back; walk erect, and youthful; do not drag your steps.

Do not let romance die out of your heart. It is a great youth preserver. Love, unselfishness, a spirit of kindness and helpfulness, keep the heart warm and young.

Whenever you think of yourself, always hold the image of yourself as you would like to be. Do not dwell upon your imperfections or weaknesses, because that will mar your image, but hold tenaciously to the ideal of yourself. Think of yourself in your perfection, as the personality the Creator intended you to be.

Lots of play and innocent fun tend to erase the marks of age and to bring us back to youth. Fun is a twin of youth. To be normally healthy, we require a great deal of amusement and recreation and all of the innocent fun we can get, for these are great stimulators, life promoters.

Humor is a care-killer, a worry destroyer. It tends to quicken the circulation, to promote digestion. Cheerful people sleep better, are better company, and have more friends, and people who have many friends are less likely to be morose and depressed. Sociability is a promoter of good will, kindly feelings, and harmony; and all these things induce health and prolong life.

Growth is an enemy of old age. The person who is mentally expanding, who is constantly growing larger and becoming broader, fuller, complete, does not age nearly as rapidly as the one who has ceased to grow.

Age begins when growth stops. When the mind ceases to expand, to reach out and up, when the ideals begin to grow dim, when aspiration halts, then old age steps in.

The individual who feels the spirit of youth surging through their body all the time, who holds the bright, cheerful, youthful, hopeful thought, retains their youthful appearance.