It’s a rarity that we have time to sit down and reflect on our lives. Self-reflection is considered a luxury instead of a necessity.

You rush from pillar to post and the minutes tick by until the end of the day when you literally fall into bed. There you drift into a stupor of dreams (or no sleep at all) because the mind chatter won’t stop spinning.

Why not take the time for yourself to meditate or simply reflect for 10 minutes a day about the state of your being? Focus on how well you are living your life in real time, or how you might slow down the mindless chatter in order to increase peace, joy, and fulfillment.

There is an adage stating that, as we age, it is easier to let things go. I know, too, that I have held on to negative things occurring in my life.

One of the most common distractions can be our adult children – perhaps, marriages that are dissolving, grandchildren that need more care, friends who might not be close anymore.

Boomers live in a changing world, and the most important way to accept changes in a timely fashion is to create some distance, step back, and assess the situation with rational thought.

Your intent should be to celebrate life instead of slogging through muddy waters of confusion or negativity.

The following are 5 lifestyle ideas for boomers that will give you a measure of how well you are managing your expectations and how your mindset can be changed to reflect more positive perceptions:

How Simply Do You Live Your Life? 

Are you making your life more complicated than it needs to be? Are you collecting stuff, things, and people that get in the way of living with clear intentions?

Living lightly is the best revenge (not hair color) because it eliminates the superfluous and re-frames your mindset to reflect purpose. Simplicity is the new luxury. Why get weighed down by your own baggage?

Do You Have the Ability to Say NO? 

Do you say yes to people, places, and things that don’t reflect your values, beliefs, or desires? Crucial to being responsive to your amazing self is your ability to discern and reflect on what adds value to your life.

Are You Going About the Business of Being You Every Day? 

Do you bend to the reflections of those people who surround you, taking up their opinions and observations as if they might be your own? Take note that other people’s ideas may not really be compatible with your perceptions about life.

This measurement questions how thoughtful you are being about your own authenticity. Never let anyone else influence or tell you who you are. You are unique unto yourself.

Are You Stretching Your Mind Daily? 

So, you work out – that’s physical activity and easily accessible. What about exercising your mind? If you grow your mind, you definitely grow your life.

We lose neurons in our lifetime, so we have to work hard to replenish them. That’s a lifetime commitment. It’s like running a marathon to keep your brain functioning.

Do You Make Good Choices?

When you decide your course of action, do you make the good kind of choices and not the mindless kind; the happenstance decisions that come and go like the wind?

The more mindful decisions you make for your life, the better your life gets, the more freedom you have, the more effective you are becoming.

Making a really good choice in life is a gift – a blessing – because you (and you alone) get to figure it out. That’s experiencing the joy of achievement. And it doesn’t cost a penny.

Measuring your life with great ideas is a very powerful form of personal achievement. It’s a beautiful thing to make your own choices.

How often do you make your own choices? Do you depend on others to decide what’s best for you? What would it take for you to change your mindset to a more positive one? Please share in the comments below.