The 100 Simple Secrets of the Best Half of Life : What Scientists Have Learned and How You Can Use It

Cover Image 1 Title Page 3 Dedication Page 4 Contents 5 Acknowledgments/A Note to Readers 9 Introduction: Thinking About Your Future 11 Chapter One: Happiness Is Not an Accident 15 Chapter Two: You Must Approve of Yourself 17 Chapter Three: Keep Going 19 Chapter Four: Try Something New 21 Chapter Five: You Still Are Who You Were 23 Chapter Six: Happy Looks for Happy 25 Chapter Seven: The Mirror Will Be Kinder 27 Chapter Eight: Fun Is Not Over 29 Chapter Nine: See the Beauty Around You 31 Chapter Ten: Never Retire from Life 33 Chapter Eleven: Have Time for Thoughts 35 Chapter Twelve: Turn Off the Bad News 37 Chapter Thirteen: Express Yourself in What You Do 39 Chapter Fourteen: You Are Not Old 41 Chapter Fifteen: Money Can’t Buy Happiness 43 Chapter Sixteen: The Only Requirement Is Embracing the Lack of Requirements 45 Chapter Seventeen: Keep Your Fears in Line 47 Chapter Eighteen: Sign Up for Everything 49 Chapter Nineteen: Be Decisive 51 Chapter Twenty: Believe You Can 53 Chapter Twenty-One: See the Real Pay in Work 55 Chapter Twenty-Two: Know Your Health 57 Chapter Twenty-Three: See a New Way 59 Chapter Twenty-Four: Avoid Generational Competition 61 Chapter Twenty-Five: Respond to Stress 63 Chapter Twenty-Six: The Best Life Needs No Trophy 65 Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Future Can Be Brighter Than the Past 67 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Stay in Control 69 Chapter Twenty-Nine: See Beyond You 71 Chapter Thirty: Transitions Can Be Both Happy and Sad 73 Chapter Thirty-One: Embrace Challenges 75 Chapter Thirty-Two: Get Away from It All 77 Chapter Thirty-Three: Live Beyond Your Family Model 79 Chapter Thirty-Four: Life Gets Easier 81 Chapter Thirty-Five: Volunteer for Yourself 83 Chapter Thirty-Six: Never Give Up 85 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Get Out of the Car 87 Chapter Thirty-Eight: Don’t Gamble Your Future 89 Chapter Thirty-Nine: Find a Physician You Like 91 Chapter Forty: Who You Are Is Not Just What You Do 93 Chapter Forty-One: Foundations Shift, but Life Stands 95 Chapter Forty-Two: Share What You Know 97 Chapter Forty-Three: Discuss Your Worries, Then Don’t Dwell on Them 99 Chapter Forty-Four: It All Looks Better over Time 101 Chapter Forty-Five: Keep Relationships on Level Ground 103 Chapter Forty-Six: Adapt 105 Chapter Forty-Seven: Make Home Home 107 Chapter Forty-Eight: Don’t Let Irritation Be Louder Than Joy 109 Chapter Forty-Nine: Geography Does Not Limit Family Life 111 Chapter Fifty: Vote 113 Chapter Fifty-One: Forgive 115 Chapter Fifty-Two: Eat for Nutrition, Not for Compensation 117 Chapter Fifty-Three: We’re Happier Older Than Younger 119 Chapter Fifty-Four: Each Part of Life Must Function 121 Chapter Fifty-Five: See the Person, Not the Label 123 Chapter Fifty-Six: Laugh Your Way to Answers 125 Chapter Fifty-Seven: Exercise 127 Chapter Fifty-Eight: Feed and Cultivate Friendships 129 Chapter Fifty-Nine: Communicate on Their Terms 131 Chapter Sixty: Remember to Care for Yourself When Caring for Others 133 Chapter Sixty-One: Be Careful Choosing Home Associations 135 Chapter Sixty-Two: See Around Career Roadblocks 137 Chapter Sixty-Three: See a Kid, Be a Kid Again 139 Chapter Sixty-Four: Stretch 141 Chapter Sixty-Five: Let Old Secrets Stay Secrets 143 Chapter Sixty-Six: Listen to Your Favorite Music 145 Chapter Sixty-Seven: Practice Maintenance for Life 147 Chapter Sixty-Eight: Call Town Hall 149 Chapter Sixty-Nine: Pay Attention to Nonverbal Communication 151 Chapter Seventy: Wash the Dishes 153 Chapter Seventy-One: Be Open to a New View 155 Chapter Seventy-Two: Love Evolves but Can Stay Strong 157 Chapter Seventy-Three: Use a Computer 159 Chapter Seventy-Four: The Youngest and Oldest Like Work the Least 161 Chapter Seventy-Five: Compromise What but Never Who 163 Chapter Seventy-Six: Your History Strengthens Your Future 165 Chapter Seventy-Seven: Share Your Home 167 Chapter Seventy-Eight: Honor Your Spiritual Beliefs 169 Chapter Seventy-Nine: Wear Many Hats 171 Chapter Eighty: Put Stuff in Its Place 173 Chapter Eighty-One: Seek Meaning 175 Chapter Eighty-Two: We Never Outgrow Jealousy 177 Chapter Eighty-Three: Cherish Your Heritage 179 Chapter Eighty-Four: Share Your Fun 181 Chapter Eighty-Five: Pay Attention to Your Dreams 183 Chapter Eighty-Six: All the Time Is Too Much 185 Chapter Eighty-Seven: Regrets Hold Us Back 187 Chapter Eighty-Eight: See Your Goals 189 Chapter Eighty-Nine: Give the Gift of Yourself 191 Chapter Ninety: Boredom Is the Enemy 193 Chapter Ninety-One: Redefine Career 195 Chapter Ninety-Two: Travel the Stable Road 197 Chapter Ninety-Three: It’s Less What Happened Than What Happened Next 199 Chapter Ninety-Four: You Define Success 201 Chapter Ninety-Five: Never Stop Learning 203 Chapter Ninety-Six: View Your Life as a Choice 205 Chapter Ninety-Seven: Make Your Mark on the Next Generation 207 Chapter Ninety-Eight: Why Not Be Optimistic? 209 Chapter Ninety-Nine: There’s No Deadline for Your Dreams 211 Chapter Hundred: Do It Now 213 Sources 215 About the Author 224 Copyright Notice 225 About the Perfectbound 226 The Simple Science of Living Life to the FullestWhat do people who enjoy the second half of their lives do differently than those who dread getting older? Sociologists, therapists, and psychiatrists have spent entire careers investigating the ins and outs of successful aging, yet until now their findings have been inaccessible to ordinary people, hidden in obscure journals, to be shared only with other experts.Now David Niven, the international bestselling author of the 100 Simple Secrets series, has collected the most current and significant data from more than a thousand of the best scientific studies on the second half of life. These findings have been boiled down to one hundred essential ways to find and maintain happiness, health, and satisfaction, every day of your life. Each statistic is accompanied by a true story showing the results in action.IT'S IN YOUR HEAD: People over the age of fifty who did not think of themselves as old were 39 percent more likely to be happy.KEEPING BUSY: People over fifty who frequently experienced feelings of boredom were three times more likely to describe their lives as empty, and two times more likely to be apathetic about their future.AND-A-ONE, TWO, THREE: Participating in a regular exercise program improved the health and levels of happiness of people over fifty by 39 percent.