POSITIVE THINKING

Life satisfaction generally increases from mid- to late life, and our emotional experiences may be more positive as we age, but it doesn’t always feel that way. Illness, family issues, loss and regret can interfere with happiness, and may also contribute to why life satisfaction tends to decrease after 70. That said, there are ways to boost happiness as the decades pass, says Dr. John Tholen, 74, a retired California cognitive therapist and author of Focused Positivity: The Path to Success and Peace of Mind. Although our emotions and motivations seem to be directly linked to the events and circumstances we encounter, he suggests we’re reacting to our interpretation of our experiences. It’s our internal monologue, our self-talk that determines how we feel about what’s happening in our lives. Changing that self-talk with focused positivity starts with being mindful of our thoughts; identifying the dysfunctional ones; and refocusing our attention on positive ones, like gratitude, and motivating convictions, such as hope and self-assertion, that can bring us some peace of mind.