10 Attributes of a Youthful Mind People in a perpetually youthful state of mind come from many different backgrounds, but they all possess personality traits that transcend age. Here are 10 qualities you'll find in youthful people, no matter what their chronological age. Humor Find humor you enjoy. Does Robin Williams make you laugh or make you sick? Identify what types of humor you Eke, Dr. Sultanoff says. Do you enjoy jokes, cartoons, a cer Surround yourself with laughter. Once you have identified what humor you Eke, keep it around. Buy movies and books by your favorite comedians and pull them out when you need to laugh. Tack hilarious cartoons or quotes around your home or office. Carry clown noses or silly props with you and yank them out. "I carry Groucho glasses and clown noses everywhere I go," Dr. Sultanoff proudly admits. This is not a requirement, however. Dr. Sultanoff says that a good laugh could be what you need during a tense moment to bring in a new perspective. Give yourself permission . Afraid people will laugh at you? Well, that's the point, Dr. Sul tanoff says. In order to delight in humor, you must allow yourself to be funny. Some people get so wrapped up in the seriousness of life that they won't permit themselves the enjoyment of humor. Give yourself the green light, and you will feel lighthearted and younger, he says. Optimism Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., a leading expert on optimism and author of Learned Optimism, says in his book that optimists age better, live longer, catch fewer infectious diseases, and have stronger immune systems than pessimists. Studies have also shown that pessimists give up more easily and get depressed more often. An optimist has a firm grip on reality but also recognizes that just about any event good or bad has advantages. Here's how to look on the bright side of anything. Turn bad events into good motivators. An optimist views a negative event as an opportunity, Dr. Ellis says. If you don't like your job and think you will be miserable forever, use that as a catalyst to find a new job. If you are sad because family or friends moved away, use your newfound free time to find new interests or meet new people. Curiosity Ask why. It is such a simple question, but one that people often don't ask, Dr. Strawbridge says. Start to ask yourself and others why. Why is the sky blue? Why do I want this job? Why can't I take up a new hobby? " It's easy to take someone else's word for something, but you will miss out on the excitement of your own dis coveries. It's better to do your own homework, Dr. Strawbridge says. Ask if there is a better way of doing things at home, at work, or even at play. Albert Einstein based his success on simple curiosity: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Adventure In 1998, Sister Clarice Lolich celebrated her 80th birthday by skydiving out of an airplane. Not that this type of adventure was new for this nun and former aerospace education specialist with NASA: She has also bungee jumped, parasailed, and whitewater rafted. You don't have to jump out of an airplane or take a trip to the Amazon to partake of an adventure (unless you want to, of course). A trip to a new restaurant, a new job, or a new vacation can fill that bill very well. "You can take many risks, both large and small," Dr. Ellis says. Here are some places to start. Change your travel plans. Do you go to the same vacation spot year in and year out? Pick a different destination, Dr. Ellis says. You don't need to travel to Bali or Australia. Simply navigating your way in a new city or locale can bring out the adventurer in you. Maturity Value what you have done. Think about all you have already accomplished in your life, he says. Enjoy those achievements instead of thinking about what you could have, should have, or would have done or what you still have to do. You still look toward the future, of course, but don't forget to cherish your past as well. Knowledge Read, read, read. Being a voracious reader makes you a voracious learner. Beyond books, newspapers, and magazines, the Internet opens up a whole new world of knowledge, Dr. Ellis says. Enthusiasm Discover or revisit hobbies. Midlife is a great time to find new interests and hobbies. Rediscover creative activities that you loved to do in the past but lost touch with over the years because of a lack of time, Dr. Ellis says. Even something as simple as a hobby gives you a reason to be enthusiastic about life, and that keeps you ageless. According to a study of 65 to 95 year old people by Dr. Strawbridge, those who had five or more people with whom they had close contact were twice as likely to "age successfully," meaning that they lead healthy and active lives well into older age. These close relationships build an instant support system and naturally keep you active and enthusiastic about a world other than your own. Get involved in your community. Becoming active in your community kills two birds with one stone: It gives you an interest and pro vides a way to meet people, Dr. Ellis says. Join local organizations and school boards or attend government meetings. Compassion Open Mindedness If you want to maintain a youthful outlook on life, Dr. Ellis says that you need to be openminded. "Healthy and mature people tend to be flexible in their thinking, open to change, and accepting in their views of people. They do not make rigid rules for themselves or others," he says. Faith In many cases, faith provides a sense of being cared for, loved, and valued all feelings that enhance your well being and feed your youthful outlook. Spirituality also embraces the wisdom that comes with age. "Religion helps you to understand that growing old is not a bad thing," Dr. Strawbridge says. Find your own spirituality. Organized religion is not the only avenue to faith. Find your own way to celebrate your beliefs, Dr. Strawbridge says. Perhaps sitting quietly in a natural setting gets you in touch with your spiritual side. Anti Aging Anti Aging Generation| Anti Aging Health Strategy| Anti Aging for Women| Take a Bite Out of Aging| Check the Index| Aim Low| Fat Factor| The Zobra Diet| Bulf Of Long Life| What about Meat?| Get the Protein, Forgo the Fat| The Taxic Avengers| Great Ways to Ambush Radicals| Going Vegetarian Sparked Her Youth| Is That a Toxin in My "Soup"?| Put Your Diet into Rehab| Little Bean, Big Benefits| Sneaking Soy into Your Diet| The Anti Aging Supplements| Alpha Lipoic Acid| Vitamins Minerals| Bioflavonoids| Coenzyme-Q10| Flaxseed Oil| Ginkgo| Are Harmone Supplements Safe?| Melotonin| Phoaphatidylserine| Pycnogenol| Vitamin C| Vitamin E| Aerobics| Disease-Proof Your Body| Liven Up Your Lifestyles| 12 Tips For a Better Workout| Weather Your Workout| Water| Erasing the Lines of Time| Skin Enemy Number One: The Sun| Sunscreen to the Rescue| A Sunscreen Primer| Sun Tips for Sun Junkies| Clean Up Your Act| Perfect Cleanser| Navigating Moisturizer Maze| The Care and Feeding of Youthful Skin| Special Problems of Aging Skin Cosmetic Nutrients Cosmetic Nutrients| Get Glowing with Glycolic Acid| User's guide of Glycolic Acids| Retin-A and Renova| Using Retin-A and Renova| Vitamin C: Future Youth?| Don't Get Lost at "C"| Getting the Most from C Makeups Makeup That Enhances| Foundation| Concealer| Blush| Powder| Eye Makeup| Lipstick| Winning the Battle of the Mane| Color to the Youthful| Dressed to Impress| Acting Your Age| 10 Attributes of a Youthful Mind Right Weight Getting Your Right Weight| Weighing In| Say Goodbye to Dieting| Putting Exercise into Everyday Events| Defying Disease| Disease Proof Your Lifestyle| Arthritis| Cancer| Diabetes| Heart Disease and Stroke| Osteoporosis|Keeping Your Senses Sharp|Can You Speak Little Louder?|Preventing Hearing Loss|Target Hearing Loss Early|The Eyes Have It|Buying Sunglasses|Eyes Need Exercise|The Life of Visionary Memory Memory Like an Elephant| Keeping the Brain Up and Running|Improving Your Everyday Memory| Get Organized| Living a Memory Enhancing Lifestyle Sleep Sweet Sleep and Relaxation| Turning Out the Lights, Naturally| Easing Toward Dreamland|When All Else Fails