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A12 BUSINESS
Tuesday 27 sepTember 2022
How to cultivate a happier retirement

By LIZ WESTON of NerdWal-
let
Researchers have identi-
fied several factors besides
money that contribute to a
happier retirement, includ-
ing good health, strong re-
lationships and a sense of
purpose.
But setbacks are inevitable,
in life and in retirement.
Not everyone enjoys good
health and no one enjoys
it forever. Loved ones die
or move away. The pursuits
you thought would give
your life meaning may not,
or may not be possible:
Think of all the activities This undated file photo provided by NerdWallet shows Liz Weston,
and plans canceled be- a columnist for personal finance website NerdWallet.com.
cause of the pandemic. Associated Press
Yet many retirees continue
to be happy despite diffi- your way of viewing a situ- statements about aging,
culties, and research indi- ation,” says Asebedo, who including “As you get older,
cates that their psychologi- also edits the Journal of Fi- you are less useful” and “I
cal attitudes help deter- nancial Therapy. am as happy now as I was
mine how well they cope Asebedo recommends when I was younger. “
with change. psychologist Martin E.P. Positive views of aging had
“Mindset is key, and it’s one Seligman ‘s book, “Learned a greater impact on life
of those things that’s within Optimism: How to Change span than many health
our control,” says executive Your Mind and Your Life,” factors. For example, low
and retirement coach Joe which explains cognitive blood pressure or low cho-
Casey, author of “Win the behavioral techniques to lesterol each contribute
Retirement Game: How to combat pessimism. If you about four years of longev-
Outsmart the 9 Forces Try- need further or ongoing ity. Other healthy behav-
ing to Steal Your Joy.” help, consider talking with iors, including refraining
CULTIVATE OPTIMISM a therapist about develop- from smoking, maintaining
A 2014 study by two Kansas ing a more optimistic out- a healthy weight and get-
State University research- look. ting regular exercise, add
ers found that people who “It’s not the Pollyannaish one to three years to life
are more optimistic tend to view,” Casey explains. “It’s spans.
be more satisfied in retire- really more the ‘OK, let’s Levy’s research also has
ment. Study participants’ look for the good.’” found that positive views of
levels of optimism were CULTIVATE A POSITIVE VIEW aging can protect against
measured by their agree- OF AGING dementia and help people
ment with statements in- While positive thinking in recover from health set-
cluding “In uncertain times, general can help you cope backs. People can change
I usually expect the best” with life, positive thinking their views by becoming
and “Overall I expect more about aging may actually more aware of, and chal-
good things to happen to extend your life. lenging, negative stereo-
me than bad.” A 2002 study led by Yale types of aging, Levy writes
Positive emotions such as University professor Becca in her book “Breaking the
optimism help people to be R. Levy found that people Age Code: How Your Be-
more resilient and to think who had more positive liefs About Aging Deter-
more creatively, while pes- views of aging lived a me- mine How Long and Well
simism can make it harder dian of 7.5 years longer You Live .” She also recom-
to take productive action than those with more neg- mends making intergener-
or cope with difficult situa- ative attitudes. ational friendships to com-
tions, says the study’s lead The gap persisted even bat ageism and looking for
researcher Sarah Asebedo, after the researchers took positive role models.
now a professor at Texas into account other factors CULTIVATE A GROWTH
Tech University’s School of that affect longevity, such MINDSET
Financial Planning. as age, gender, socioeco- Casey says people can
But don’t despair, pessi- nomic status, health and struggle in retirement if they
mists: You can learn to be loneliness. believe that they have
more optimistic. Researchers examined stopped evolving and that
“I do think certain people how study participants’ their days of learning new
might have a disposition views of aging predicted things are behind them. He
toward optimism or pes- their survival up to 23 years coaches his clients to de-
simism, but that doesn’t later. The 338 men and 322 velop a “growth mindset”
mean you can’t change women ages 50 and older that embraces learning
your outlook and change had responded to several and change.q