Tools & Tips
Love Life, Live Longer

A lengthy 23 year study by researchers at Yale University and Miami University in Ohio gauged how perceptions of aging affected longevity. The conclusion was that nothing makes us more optimistic than the news that optimism makes us live longer.

The researchers asked 660 50-plus participants to evaluate age-related statements, such as "As you get older, you are less useful." The results showed that people who viewed aging positively lived an average of 7.5 years longer than those who saw it negatively (and, no, those people weren't Pollyannas in general - researchers isolated feelings related specifically to aging). Becca Levy, PhD, who headed the study, said the key to being in the first group is focusing on the good things you've gained with age, such as wisdom and experience, rather than the bad, such as achy bones. Also, find older role models - in the media or in your life - with inspiring pursuits, to remind you of the stuff you can do with the extra seven years of life! 

-Monica Hess 
AARP Magazine