When you change how you look at things, the things you look at change. This is a quote often attributed to Dr. Wayne Dyer, and it’s a reminder that our perceptions often shape everything. This is important to remember if we’re going through a tough time in life. That’s because while we might not be able to change everything in life, we can change how we react to it. Of course, real life is a little more complex than simple platitudes like this, but they’re true enough to be practical.

As fathers and grandfathers, it’s worth remembering this. That’s because those who look up to us will often require us to be stable, and focused, and not to let our cynicism poison everything we’ve worked to build for ourselves and for them. There are healthier and better ways to communicate and express our emotions after all, which we should certainly do.

So, how can you better gain that mental and physical clarity? It’s not always completely clear. In this post, we’ll discuss some methods you can use to achieve the best outcome:

Focus On Your Health & Capability

As we get older, and as we deal with the physical strain of being a good parent, it’s important to take lifestyle steps towards caring for ourselves on a structural level. A short walk every day can clear your mind more than you realize, and it’s perfect if you own a dog that needs to do their business and stretch their legs with you. 

Talking about stretching, doing so for ten minutes in the morning helps you shake off the stiffness and get going. This is important when we get older and we feel as though waking in the morning is similar to someone sliding off the stone lid of our thousand-year vampiric rest. But of course, there are structural elements to our health too. You might rework your posture by purchasing an ergonomic office chair for your home, or perhaps undergoing premium cataract surgery as becomes so worthwhile for those over sixty. 

This way, you can feel your best, attend to issues you’ve been dealing with, and make your approach to wellness more about long-term care or benefits as opposed to just following what a magazine tells us.

Try To Disconnect From Constant Life Creep & Buzz

Sometimes life feels chaotic because we’re juggling too much, and we all know how frayed you can feel when you have too much to deal with. Taking a step back and simplifying things can give you the room to breathe that you’re looking for. We’d recommend you think about what’s actually important to you and simplify it down, because this has a very restorative effect.

For instance, learning the value of no can help you ensure your schedule is never overlapped or completely filled with friction. You don’t have to say “yes” to every favour, meeting, or plan and getting out of people pleasing is a very good choice to make when you’re a parent or getting into your peak middle age. Most agree that when there’s more room in your day, you can focus on what really matters – your family, your health, your peace of mind.

Simplifying your home helps, too. Clear out some of the clutter. Donate things you don’t need. A cleaner, more organized space has a way of making you feel calmer, and it’s surprising how much easier it becomes to think clearly when you’re not surrounded by distractions.

Value Connections & People

Life is much better when you know what it’s orbiting around and why. So, when life feels tough, confusing or just irritating (as, if we were honest, sometimes it can) it’s easy to pull back from the people around you. But the truth is your relationships such as family, friends, and yes, even neighbors, are what keep you grounded. Curating your schedule for the smaller things, like watching a sports game with your son, can be more fulfilling than a thousand purchases you would have made to treat yourself.

If you’ve drifted away from someone, there’s no harm in reaching out, because having another or repaired connection in your life can be helpful comfort. We’re willing to bet that most people will be happy to hear from you. At the same time, it’s okay to let go of relationships that drain you and sometimes we do have to look over your connections and cut them if they’re not longer as helpful to us as they could be. 

Some call this “protecting your peace” but really you get to decide how, why and what you call it. We’d just recommend that if you’re looking for something to renew you, spending your energy on people who add to your life, not take away from it is ideal.

Commit To One Nourishing Hobby

Now, parenthood can take all of our time and more than that. However, if we have nothing outside of our life except for work and responsibility, it’s easy to feel pent up with stress and nothing else. 

That’s why it’s sometimes good to have one tiny hobby you can care for and feel a sense of ownership over. You get to decide it, but one that makes you feel peaceful is best. Maybe it’s something active like fishing, gardening, or woodworking.

You don’t need to be “good” at it, either. The point is to enjoy the process, not stress over the result in the slightest. Even if you never catch a fish there’s something to be said for having a couple hours with your son or daughter at the riverbank once a month..

With this advice, we hope you can refresh your outlook on life with a few tricks to help us feel better, walk more upright, and gather more energy. Life can be tough and most of all complex, so if you streamline and save your mental energy for what really matters, you’ll no doubt appreciate that process much more than you would have.