Growing up changes our lives and personalities. You are practically a new person. It is important to age gracefully and happy. However, most of us are not able to do it thanks to our habits that we form in our young age.

We don’t realise that the lifestyle choices - physical, mental and emotional - that we make in our late twenties or thirties have a solid impact on our mind and body. These choices, quite often prevent us from being happy at a later age.

Aamish Dhingra, ICF—PCC CERTIFIED LIFE COACH and co-founder of Cocoweave Coaching International, Delhi, speaks on the reasons to break certain habits. “It is important to break certain habits that are negatively affecting the quality of life by influencing emotional as well as mental health. The barriers in the pathway of our success are overthinking about a certain situation, procrastination, or negative self-talk.”

As a life coach, he finds these habits debilitating. “It is essential to replace the destructive mindset with constructive one and step out of the comfort zone. When you set yourself free from a limiting thought or habit, you welcome new opportunities and a better form of yourself.”

Habits, they say, are hard to break. But it is the choice of an individual to cultivate good or bad habits.

Dr Ashish Bansal MD, consultant psychiatrist and co-founder of House of Aesthetics, New Delhi, feels one needs to transform certain habits to ensure one’s mental, physical and emotional well-being. “While some habits, like exercising or meditating, can improve our health, others can have detrimental effects. The harmful habits activate specific neural pathways of the brain and over time they become the body’s automatic response,” says Dr. Bansal.

He finds habit differentiation to be critical. “Some habits contribute to growth and stability. Harmful habits, however, undermine well-being and lead to physical or psychological distress. Psychiatrists guide individuals through therapy sessions to break the loop of compulsive and negative behaviours, replacing them with healthier alternatives.”

One can also strive to make happiness a habit according to Dr. R. Barve, consulting psychologist, Mumbai. “You can choose to be happy at an young age despite all challenges that you encounter. This one habit can ensure that you will be happy as you grow old.”

It is important to realise at an young age that we have to grow up and mature into a ‘jolly good fellow’ and not an ‘old grumps’.

Here are seven habits that you need to unlearn and become a mature and happier older person:

Eyes on the future: Festering in what happened earlier is the biggest enemy of anyone who wants to move forward but cannot. Your past is that hated person who lives in your mind rent-free. Let go of your past that troubles you. Once you do that, you will find a burden removed from your shoulders and feel like a bird who wants to explore the skies.

Choose self-care: What matters to stay happy is allowing yourself some time. Many times, when we are involved in other people’s lives or pleasing others, we end up miserable. Looking at your physical and mental self is looking at your happiness. Or else the anger festers within, and relationships will get unnecessarily spoiled. Make self care a habit at an early age.

Change is the only constant: We fear the changes in our lives. Remember that you cannot change things that are not in your life. Let the changes keep coming. What you can do is handle your response to the changes. Aim to respond not react. That is how you can ensure your happiness without letting the changes ruin it.

Alter habits: A person will reflect within and recognise habits not exactly their best friends. Once you do that, take the effort to slowly move away from that habit and replace it with habits that positively impact you. These new good habits should make you age well and be a good soul.

Be with people who have your back: As you grow old, you should realise that not everyone deserves your friendship. Let go of those who probably don’ have your happiness in mind. Be with those who want you to succeed and be happy and will not think twice before telling you the truth.

Control delays: Your nature to procrastinate becomes deadly as you grow old. Putting things on the back burner and delaying everything will put unnecessary stress on the way you function, and even put pressure on your health. Take control of your time and work and divide them so you can handle everything without worrying.

Keep learning: Age should not be a limit to learning new things and becoming a better person. The world is vast. New things add to our personality. While learning, you also understand what must be dropped and the things that make you a superstar. Learning can be anything, from a new habit or hobby and even making friends. Keep pushing yourself to be a better version of your old self. 

Now that you have learned the ropes of habit-building, growing older and happy at any age will not be difficult.