9 Resolutions That Can Help You Age Better This Year-Breaking News, Latest Updates

Strong social connections can help people live longer in good health. It’s important to be proactive about maintaining and strengthening these bonds, Burnight says, and to schedule get-togethers rather than waiting for your phone to buzz. She recommends reaching out to a friend at least once a week.

That resonates with Marvasti, whose resolution for 2026 is to make more space for meaningful relationships. “Particularly for men, as we get older, we have less social connections, which is why men who are widows do worse in later life—they’re more isolated and more lonely,” he says. He’s seen that play out in his own life: After his mother passed away nearly a decade ago, his dad steadily declined—in part because of a lack of social connections. “It’s not a good recipe for longevity,” Marvasti says. “You want to take time to invest in close friends. It’s not a waste of time, and it’s not taking away from your goals. It’s actually something that’s making you healthier and happier in life.”

Novelty is good for your brain; it’s linked with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia. 

Every month, challenge yourself to come up with one new thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t gotten around to, whether you didn’t have the nerve or the time. Then finally do it. “We have to continue to grow and do something that’s out of our comfort zone,” says Bunight, who’s currently learning how to play the piano. “Look for something you’re curious about, and that you can think about and talk about—something that will help you grow and continue to develop as a human, because we need that.”

Researchers have found that positive attitudes about aging can increase lifespan by up to 7.5 years, while also improving cognitive and physical health. Plus, older people with mild cognitive impairment are 30% more likely to regain normal cognition if they have positive beliefs about aging vs. negative beliefs.

“If you believe that everything gets worse, then you stop doing things and you stop engaging, and when you do that, then you’re not keeping your mind or your body sharp,” Burnight says. “What you think about aging actually is a matter of life and death.”

Modern culture has been so saturated with anti-aging messaging that, by default, people often look in the mirror and think, “Oh no,” Burnight says. When you notice these thoughts, challenge them. “Look in the mirror and think, ‘Look at those lines. I’ve earned those,’” she says. Similarly, if you forget where your car is in the grocery store parking lot, don’t call it a senior moment. Remind yourself: “I didn’t remember where my car was when I was in my 20s. That’s just a human thing, not an aging thing.”

Burnight recently spoke to a group of people including a woman who said she didn’t want to reveal how long she had been working at her company in fear of dating herself. “That’s super common, but if you think about it, that’s reinforcing that it’s not good to have had all that experience—that it’s not good to be older, and you need to hide it,” she says. “Afterward, I said to this brilliant woman, ‘You’ve been at this company for 30 years. To me, you would lead with that, because that’s absolutely incredible.’”