May 3, 2025
Explore expert opinions on finding happiness and the 5×5 method.
Some experts share thoughts on how to live a good and fulfilling life.
Hang out with younger people.
Margareta Magnusson, the nonagenarian author of “The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly,” offered a simple definition of happiness: being around young people.
Not only do they supply fresh perspectives, she said, but hearing about their plans and ideas “is a way to stay in tune with the young person you yourself were at some point.”
Magnusson suggested the following for older people: Just ask questions. Listen. Offer food. And don’t talk about your bad knee again, she said.
Start a weird ritual.
Rituals don’t have to be serious. They can be funny, strange, or just yours. Behavioral scientist Michael Norton, author of The Ritual Effect, says small rituals add meaning and joy to everyday life. His family sings “Happy Meatloaf to You” with candles on dinner—because meatloaf needed a rebrand to convince his daughter to eat meatloaf.
Spread positive gossip.
We usually gossip about what’s wrong with people. Flip it. Share the good stuff—something kind they did, a talent they keep quiet, a moment you admired. Psychologist Jamil Zaki says it not only feels better, but it’s also contagious. People start doing it too.
Do a mini version of your favourite vacation.
Think about what made your last trip great—long walks, lazy naps, big dinners, new places. Then shrink it. Weekly bike ride. Backyard picnic. A novel on the couch. Psychologist Sarah Pressman says small echoes of joy help the good feelings last.
Cherish the everyday.
People near the end of life often miss the simple stuff most—making pancakes, doing errands, ordinary mornings. Hospice nurse Suzanne O’Brien suggests a mindset shift: change “I have to” into “I get to.” Often we rush through the ordinary—laundry, workouts, errands—like they were just things to check off. Shifting from “I have to” to “I get to” doesn’t just change attitude—it reminds you that you’re lucky to be here, doing any of it at all.
It’s a reminder that daily life is the main event.
Set up an emotional first-aid kit.
Rough days happen. Be ready. Psychologist Susan Albers suggests gathering things that help you feel better – music that lifts you, kind texts from friends, positive emails, photos that calm you. Keep them in one spot so when things get hard, you don’t have to go searching—you just open your kit.
Listen to Cher.
Asked for the best advice she ever got, Cher didn’t hesitate: “If it doesn’t matter in five years, it doesn’t matter.” It’s a quick gut check. Will this thing that’s stressing me out still matter down the road? If not, I let it go. Most of the time, it doesn’t. And just like that, I can breathe again.
Here’s something else to do:
Feel-Better Plan: The 5×5 Method
Five steps. Five minutes each (or less).
Bonus rule:
If something feels good—keep going. If not, skip it. This isn’t a checklist for perfection. It’s a lifeline.
You may be interested in a Ted Talk given by Harvard psychologist, Dan Gilbert, titled “The surprising science of happiness”
Read our article on Staying Positive or Random Acts of Kindness
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