To find out what makes people happy, researchers asked a group of people aged 80 to 103. It turns out that the secret to happiness may actually be NOT pursuing happiness. In fact, most of the people surveyed said they don’t even think about happiness. That’s because they’re so busy staying useful and curious that they never stop to grade their own level of happiness. Connie Carr, who is still teaching three fitness classes per week at 93, agrees, saying, “Oh, I haven’t got time to be sad! I never have. With my hobbies and friends and classes, I’ve always got something happy happening.” Havi Stander, 95, shares Carr’s feelings. “When people ask me about being happy, I tell them to stop focusing so much on yourself. Relax. Stay interested in everything around you. Don’t close your eyes, baby. There’s a wonderful world out there.” Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist and the co-director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, has conducted the longest-running study of happiness in the world. He explains: “Happiness isn’t necessarily a choice — it’s a feeling, and the trick is to stop trying to create happiness; instead, create the conditions for happiness and then go on living your life.” Maybe that’s the real secret: there’s no such thing as happiness forever. Instead, keep living, keep connecting with others, stay aware of what does make you happy, and stay open to whatever tomorrow brings. It’s never too late to start something new.
