What Makes for a Happy Life?

Excerpts from This Article

The not-so-obvious lessons:

Successful aging means giving to others joyously whenever one is able, receiving from others gratefully whenever one needs it, and being greedy enough to develop one’s own self in between.

Mature methods of coping include altruism, sublimation, suppression and humor.

These four mature coping strategies are not only associated with maturity, but they can be reframed as virtues. Such virtues can include doing as one would be done by (altruism); artistic creation to resolve conflict and spinning straw into gold (sublimation); a stiff upper lip, patience, seeing the bright side (suppression); and the ability not to take oneself too seriously (humor).

Blaming others, being passive-aggressive, living in denial, acting out and retreating into fantasy are all maladaptive coping mechanisms associated with poor outcomes.

When we're no longer young, the best way to selfishly improve your life is to be unselfish and focus on helping those around you.

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