Living longer is a goal humanity has been striving for for many millennia and recent advancements in science have shown that there is an easy way to live a longer life. Simply having a goal at all in life and having a sense of purpose, people had a 15% lower risk of an early death compared with those who said they felt aimless and had no goals. Stress also can be a huge detriment on life and on people who are stressed about their future, money, and work.

Stress and trauma in the long term can lead to decreased ability to do once easy things, to uncertainties in once easy decisions, fear of failure and rejection, disruption in work or personal success, and susceptibility to low mood, anxiety, and even sleeping problems have all been shown to come from stress. But there are simple ways to be free of stress, even without seeing a professional who can help with stress. You could re-frame negative thoughts or experiences from something that is bad to another hurdle to jump in the challenge that is life, which makes problems into an opportunity to learn resilience and to learn from our mistakes.

Just like how relieving stress is good for you and your body, a study by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan showed that seniors that initially reported low levels of purposefulness were 2.4 times more likely to pass away during the duration of the survey, which lasted a few years. The conclusion? A purposeful life with many things to look forward to and enjoy can result in health benefits and a fulfilling life.

Find out how you can enjoy the rest of your life with family and friends for years to come and build your purpose here: