Life knocks everyone down—Super Agers just get back up faster.
Resilience—the ability to recover from setbacks—is a defining trait of Super Agers. Instead of ruminating on hardships, they focus on solutions and maintain a positive outlook. Research shows that optimism is associated with better cardiovascular health, stronger immune function, and longer lifespan (Lee et al., 2019).
Super Agers experience loss, illness, and challenges like everyone else—but their mindset keeps them from being defeated. This resilience protects against stress-related damage, boosts coping skills, and strengthens both mental and physical health.
Action Step: Each night, write down one challenge you faced that day and one way you responded positively. Training your mind to notice resilience makes it grow.
Citation: Lee, L. O., et al. (2019). “Optimism is associated with exceptional longevity.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.