There are endless resources claiming to have the answer or to offer the tools needed to achieve a happy existence. According to a recent piece published in The New York Times we should be looking to the elderly to see how to live a happier life.

Writer John Leland starting following the lives of six New Yorkers over the age of 85 to hear their stories and understand their perspectives on life. During this time he was surprised to observe that, despite the pain and limitations brought on by their aging bodies, their outlook on life grew more and more positive, a phenomenon that gerontologists refer to as the paradox of aging.

Leland explains that, for the elderly people he spent time with, seeking out and focusing on the positive in life is the secret to happiness. Perhaps by taking a note from the older generation we can be reminded to focus on the more meaningful and positive aspects of our lives now rather than just in our later years.