You are whatever you think!
There is some really fascinating research showing that you are whatever you think you are, which is why it’s so important to visualize yourself as successful! Your words and thoughts can limit or empower your entire life! A growing amount of psychology research has shown that you are whatever you think you are. In other words, your perception of yourself can actually change your physiological state!
A really cool study from 1981 called “Counterclockwise Study” once demonstrated that you are what you think and you can actually reverse your aging with your mindset!!!
The Study
Scientists asked a group of men in their 70s to do one simple thing for 5 days – pretend it was 1959. Not talk about that time but actually live as though it was that time and pretend as if they were 22 years younger. They were all put in a house that was secluded in the woods during this time. All of the decorations, furniture, and conditions of the house were made to look like it was 1959. The mirrors and any indication of the current time frame was removed from the house although the house did have pictures of them from when they were 22 years younger. These men read magazines, listened to radio shows and even watched black and white TV shows – all from 1959. They even ate food from 1959 and spent all of their time discussing sports and current events from that time. There were 2 control groups: one of men where nothing was changed and there was another group of men that were in the same 1959 environment but were asked to reminisce as though it was 1959 (instead of pretending that it was 1959).
The goal of this study was to get men to mentally trigger their bodies to reverse age and exhibit signs that they were younger. The results were ASTOUNDING and have changed what we understand around the psychology of aging!
The Results:
Prior to the study, these men had extensive testing and physiological measurements taken. Comparing the end results to the beginning is where the magic of this study really comes out! These men had statistically significant improvements in physical strength, gait, eyesight, hearing, memory and dexterity. In the group of men that pretended it was 1959, 63% of them had cognitive improvements. On average, they grew about 1 inch of height in just 5 days! Men that had started with a cane and unable to carry things left this house 5 days later without the cane and carrying their own suitcases! People outside of the study were asked to look at before and after photos of these men and the AFTER photo was rated to look 2 years younger on average!
Conclusion:
Just by pretending and thinking that they were 22 years younger, these men actually reversed their age in just 5 days!!! This is profound because it means that our brain has such strong control over our body that it can actually change our physiological measurements! Since you are what you think, this means that age is only a number and by simply believing that you’re younger than you are, you can reverse age your body! Your positive mindset actually defines your physical and mental abilities! Your expectations of yourself and your abilities are extremely powerful! So choose wisely how you want to view yourself!!!
