11. Stop Smoking
If you are a smoker, you might be tempted to just skip right over this one, but we hope you won’t. You already know you should quit and you know all the reasons why. You know it is shortening your life and that it is simply a matter of time before your smoking habit takes a toll on your body, so we won’t bother to tell you what you know already.
We want to tell you that you can quit. Even if you have tried 100 times to quit, it might be the 101st time that works. You are not alone! There is help out there just waiting for you. Nicotine is one of the hardest addictions to quit but thousands of people do so every year. If they can do it, you can do it too. Talk to your doctor, find a support group, and enlist the help of family and friends. Make an action plan so that when you are hit with cravings or withdrawal symptoms, you already have a list of things you can try to stop you from going back.
You can do it. We know you can. Why not decide that you want to live a longer life and create your plan for quitting today?
12. Stop Blaming or Relying on Your Genes
OK, so your grandparents and parents lived well into their 90’s; that is no guarantee that you will. Genetics only count for about one third of our longevity potential. That is welcome news for those who don’t have great genes! What makes up the other 2/3rds? Both environmental and lifestyle factors matter a great deal, according to a Scandinavian study done with twins. Things such as whether or not you are exposed to workplace toxins regularly, diet, stress levels, exercise, and social relationships all play a large role in how quickly you age and how long you will live.
It only makes sense to focus on the 2/3rds of your life that you can control, rather than rely on (or blame) your genes. Good genes count, yes, but they certainly are not everything.
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