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The Dalai Lama was recently asked if he had any advice for President Obama regarding the current financial struggle in the United Sates. He responded with the following counsel:

â€?Naturally, you have some different interests regarding your own different party. But when the nation facing crisis, those different views of political party is secondary. Now, this is economic problem. It is not the interest of this party or that party. It’s a national sort of interest. So must work together.

You must keep your spirit, your determination, and hard work. So that way you can overcome these kinds of problems. It may take time, but courage. Never discourage. In spite of difficulties, you must keep your self-confidence.�

There is tremendous wisdom in the Dalai Lama’s comments. First, always maintain your spirit and determination during times of trouble. Recognize that many problems, no matter how severe, can be taken from a long-term perspective. Not all situations require immediate, emotionally, knee-jerk responses. Keep an optimistic attitude and positive spirit.

Second, during significant challenges, it is important to try to take an objective approach. Subordinating your ego and leaving your biases out of the situation enable you to see things from a different, perhaps neutral perspective.

The Dalai Lama’s advice, to take a balanced approach, comes from a Buddhist philosophy referred to as the middle way. Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher who founded Buddhism, first described this approach. The middle way is a path of moderation between opposites, no matter how extreme they may seem. Ultimately, according to Buddhists beliefs, the middle way leads to liberation, equanimity and wisdom.

The middle way approach is proposed by the Dalai Lama to peacefully resolve the issue of Tibet and China. He is striving to achieve a balanced approach to the current conflict based on equality and mutual cooperation.

Questions

• Where do you tend to get out of balance?
• Are there recurring extremes that have become patterns in your life?
• What can you do to find the middle way?

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

Buddha

In 1921, a longitudinal study began under the direction of Dr. Lewis Terman at Stanford University. That research has continued, and the latest results are included in a new book by psychologists Howard Friedman and Leslie Martin: The Longevity Project: Surprising Discoveries for Health and Long Life from the Landmark Eight-Decade Study.

Their new findings validate the concept that there is not one particular thing that results in longevity. Rather, longevity is a result of genetics and certain lifestyle choices. No surprises yet.  But there are some interesting findings.

1. Be conscientious.

The single most significant characteristic found to positively influence longevity in the research was a quality best defined as conscientiousness. The authors described this quality as “persistence, prudence, and hard work.” Such people are, in the researchers’ words, “somewhat obsessive and not at all carefree.â€?

Conscientiousness is linked to longevity because of several reasons. First is that conscientious people are more concerned about their health, and thus, engage in fewer unhealthy activities like abusing drugs, alcohol, and smoking. They are not type “t� personalities: thrill seekers. Instead, they are more conservative in their life choices.

The research indicates that conscientious people are less likely to fall victim to a variety of diseases, not just the ones caused by dangerous habits. It appears that conscientious people have different levels of certain chemicals in their brains, including serotonin, which may be involved. This postulates a biological predisposition to be healthier.

Another curious reason they live longer is that conscientious people seek others who lead healthier lives. This results in happier marriages, better friendships, and healthier work environments.

2. Develop and nurture strong social connections.

Being surrounded by healthy people has a strong influence on decision-making and life style choices. Positive peer pressure yields positive decisions. Poor, or few social connections, can lead to negative peer pressure or feelings of isolation.

3. A happy marriage.

There is a great deal of confirming research that married people live longer. That is true, especially if it is a man in a good marriage. On the other hand, the authors write “Women who got divorced often thrived, especially if they were getting rid of troublesome husbands.” Both men who divorced and never remarried often die sooner. (This reminds of a woman I met recently. She said she lost 180 pounds – “by divorcing the bum”)

4. Be optimistic, but not careless.

Yes, having a positive outlook on life contributes to positive health and wellness. But optimism alone is not the cure-all. The authors find that optimistic people may have unrealistic expectations about life circumstances, erroneously believing that things will always turn out well. This could easily translate into not being proactive about aspects of their lives, e.g. not seeing a doctor when they are feeling really bad. The conscientious person balances a positive attitude with a realistic approach in taking appropriate actions to stay healthy.

5. Live a health life style.

This recommendation is the “chicken soup� finding. In other words, it can’t hurt. Exercise and “healthy� eating/drinking habits have a significant positive influence on our health: physical, emotional and spiritual.

6. Stay active: physically, mentally, and socially.

This finding does not directly relate to full-time employment or to career choice. “Work� in this context refers to anything that keeps you interested and engaged in something that gives your life purpose and meaning. The list is endless. The result: active adults are healthier and live a longer life.

Questions

1. How does your life style reflect the above observations?
2. Are your social networks having a positive influence on your overall health?
3. Are there areas in which you need to make healthy choices?

“If you ask what is the single most important key to longevity, I would have to say it is avoiding worry, stress and tension. And if you didn’t ask me, I’d still have to say it.â€?

George Burns