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Gene therapy

Have you ever experienced a happiness so profound you felt it in your very bones? In fact, happiness goes even deeper than that—all the way to our genes. And, in a startling new discovery, researchers have found that different types of happiness affect the human genome in dramatically different ways, with potentially big implications for our physical health. “We’re finding that not all things that feel good are the same on the cellular level,” says Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., the lead author of the study, which was published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Barbara looked at two different kinds of happiness. Hedonia is “in-the moment” happiness, the kind that comes from consuming things or experiences—a slice of pizza, a movie, a pair of new shoes. Meaningful happiness, what scientists call “eudaimonic wellbeing,” is the buzz we get from having a higher purpose, connecting to a community, being of service to others. It turns out that while eudaimonia gives our biology a boost, hedonic experiences do the opposite, undermining healthy genetic expression. Under the scrutiny of lab examination, hedonic happiness looks a lot like adverse life circumstances such as poverty, social isolation or being diagnosed with a serious illness. “These results really surprised me,” says Barbara, who is the director of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Laboratory at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,and author of the books Positivity: Top-Notch Research Reveals the 3 to 1 Ratio That Will Change Your Lifeand Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become.“Hedonic happiness actually shows a pattern that’s similar to that which is seen with adversity or stress. We’re not seeing it at the same strength, but hedonia is looking like a little version of stress rather than the opposite of stress.” In the study, volunteers completed an online questionnaire designed to measure their levels of hedonic happiness and eudaimonic well-being. Then the researchers drew blood and analyzed the gene expression of the immune cells in these samples. They found that the volunteers whose happiness was primarily hedonic had high levels of inflammatory markers—which are linked to an increased risk of cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s— and low levels of disease-fighting antibody and antiviral gene expression. Volunteers who scored high on the eudaimonic scale displayed a reverse profile. Their robustly healthy immune systems were well-armed against infection while demonstrating little inflammatory activity. Does this mean we all need to go on a fun fast to protect our genomes? Not at all. “What this work tells us is not which kind of happiness to avoid, but rather which one you wouldn’t want to be without, and that’s the eudaimonic,” says Barbara. In the real world, both kinds of happiness reinforce each other. “Hedonia and eudaimonia go hand in hand,” she says. “What we know from past studies is that when people experience the positive uplift of hedonia they’re better able to go on and find meaning in their lives. And, that, in turn, becomes a durable resource. When times are tough you can touch base with the feeling that you’re a part of something larger than yourself and that kind of steadies the turmoil. Shelley Levitt is a contributing editor to SUCCESS magazine. Her articles on health, beauty and well-being have appeared in Women’s Health, Fitness, WebMD and Weight Watchers magazines.

Positive Psychology

Press Releases

Live Happy's December Issue: Your Go-To Guide to Gifts, Giving Back and Gratitude This Holiday Season Dallas, TX – October 23, 2017 – The December issue of Live Happy, available on newsstands on October 24th, is dedicated to the healing power of gratitude and giving back during the holiday season. Readers can also gain inspiration with Live Happy’s gift guide that supports causes around the world, DIY crafts, and recipes. Actress Anna Faris Is Live Happy’s October Cover Story Dallas, TX – August 8, 2017 – Gracing the cover of Live Happy’s October 2017 issue, actress Anna Faris explains why being Unqualified to give others advice hasn’t stopped her so far. After decades of doling out unsolicited advice and testing personal boundaries among friends, family and strangers, the actress, producer, and now author morphed her tell-it-like-it-is podcast, Unqualified, into a memoir and advice book, also called Unqualified, debuting this October. Live Happy Radio Show Launches in Dallas Dallas, TX –July 2017 – This summer, as part of its mission to cultivate and spread happiness around the world, Dallas-based Live Happy launched its first radio show, Live Happy Radio. Airing locally in Dallas on Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. – 9 a.m. on 98.7 KLUV-FM, listeners can also tune in on Radio.com or on the Radio.com app (available on iTunes and Google Play) by searching “98.7 KLUV.” Comedian Jim Gaffigan Plays for Laughs in Live Happy’s July Issue Cover Story Dallas, TX – May 23, 2017 – Comedian Jim Gaffigan is the featured cover of the July 2017 issue of Live Happy, on newsstands May 23. Readers can gain inspiration from Gaffigan’s story and more in this new issue, which explores fulfilling adventures, travel and journeys in ways that inspire awe and heighten creativity. Actress, Rapper and Author Queen Latifah Proves Happiness Reigns Supreme in Live Happy’s May issue cover story Dallas, TX – March 7, 2017 – “Whatever your inspiration, you have to look for a reason to fight the good fight every day,” says Queen Latifah, whose fighting spirit and confidence helped her rise above tough times to win acclaim and a score of awards in music, film and TV, where she appears in her latest project, Lee Daniels’ FOX series, Star. Action Star Ming-Na Wen Pulls No Punches in Live Happy’s February issue cover story Dallas, TX – January 3, 2017 – “If you tell yourself enough times that you can achieve something, you can,” says Ming-Na Wen, who kicks up her physicality at age 53 in epic choreographed fight scenes as Agent Melinda May on ABC’s Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Actress Mayim Bialik Embraces Her Inner Geek in December Issue of Live Happy Magazine Dallas, TX – October 11, 2016 – Mayim Bialik plays a neurobiologist on TV in CBS’ highly rated The Big Bang Theory, now in its 10th season, but much of her braniac persona is not an act at all. In real life, Bialik has a Ph.D. in neuroscience. “There’s an unintended bit of art imitating life,” she says of her TV alter ego Amy Farrah Fowler, but with a slight difference. “I studied how brains work and she slices them apart!” Maya Rudolph Shares Her Love for Laughter in the September Issue of Live Happy Magazine Dallas, TX – July 12, 2016 – Comedian and actress Maya Rudolph gets groovy on the September cover of Live Happy magazine, on newsstands today. She talks about her new comedy and music show with Martin Short, Maya & Marty, her Prince cover band Princess and gets nostalgic about growing up in a house full of music and “amazing, warm, lovely people.” Jesse Tyler Ferguson is Fully Committed to Taking Risks for Happiness in the May/June Issue of Live Happy Magazine Dallas, TX – May 3, 2016 – On newsstands today, Live Happy cover star Jesse Tyler Ferguson shares in the May/June issue why he chooses to forgo comfort in favor of living a rich, vibrant life on the edge. Ferguson, who says he uses risk as a motivator, puts his mantra to the test this month by starring in the one-man Broadway show Fully Committed, lending his voice to Ice Age: Collision Course and continuing his role as a member the ABC hit comedy Modern Family. Live Happy Invites All to the March to Happiness Dallas, TX – March 1, 2016 – Today, Live Happy launches a month-long ‘March to Happiness’ celebration, kicking off with the release of the new issue of the magazine, which is dedicated to savoring life’s greatest moments, including those as a parent of joyful children. On March 15th, Live Happy will release its first book: Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy (HarperElixir). Throughout the month, everyone is encouraged to share #HappyActs to honor and support the International Day of Happiness on March 20. Live Happy Magazine Features Jillian Michaels on Cover of January/February Issue Dallas, TX – January 5, 2016 – On newsstands today, Live Happy, the first-of-its-kind publication combining the science of happiness with practical advice to help its readers lead lives of meaning and joy, dedicates its January/February issue to achieving and celebrating our better selves in 2016. Live Happy Magazine Features Dolly Parton on Cover of November/December Issue Dallas, TX – November 3, 2015 – Live Happy’s November/December issue, on newsstands today, is dedicated to family and forgiveness. In the cover feature, country music superstar and entertainment icon Dolly Parton shares the power of family and her “Smoky Mountain” roots as the foundations for her strength, values and trademark positivity. Live Happy Magazine Features Anthony Anderson on Cover of September/October Issue Dallas, TX – September 1, 2015 – Live Happy’s September/October issue, on newsstands today, highlights the importance of prioritizing positivity and finding purpose and meaning in everyday activities. Emmy-nominated actor Anthony Anderson—featured on the cover—gives us a glimpse of where his inner strength, character and resilience come from and shares the latest on how he manages multiple work projects, family life and a rigorous fitness routine while keeping it all real—and fun. Live Happy Magazine Features Alanis Morissette on Cover of July/August Issue Dallas, TX – June 30, 2015 – Finding a “happy place” might not be at the top of everyone’s priority list this summer, but perhaps it should be. The July/August issue of Live Happy highlights the importance of living in the now while striving to expand our consciousness and happiness. Singer/songwriter Alanis Morissette graces the cover with modern-day flower child flair and shares her unique perspective on living in the moment. Live Happy Magazine Announces ABC News’ Good Morning America Co-Anchors on Cover of May/June Issue Dallas, TX – May 5, 2015 – It’s safe to say not many people would be happy waking up daily for work at 4 a.m., unless you’re the cast and crew of Good Morning America! In Live Happy’s May/June issue, the GMA co-anchors, George Stephanopoulos, Robin Roberts, Lara Spencer, Amy Robach and Ginger Zee share their own “secrets to success” in the workplace—revealing how camaraderie, teamwork and starting the day off right are essential to their positive work environment and to kicking off every morning with a smile. How Do You Share Happiness? Dallas, TX – March 3, 2015 – Live Happy celebrates the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness (March 20th) with its second annual issue dedicated to this day. As the magazine continues to share its quest of creating and living a happy life, the March/April issue offers features exploring well-being around the world and close to home. It also offers expert advice on habits, staying positive, celebrating at work and celebrating you. What’s Scott Foley’s Scandalous Truth? Pick Up Live Happy’s February Issue to Find Out Dallas, TX – January 6, 2015 – “Scandal’s” very own Scott Foley graces the February 2015 cover of Live Happy magazine, a first-of-its-kind publication that combines the science of happiness with real-world advice and practical tips to help readers live full and productive lives. In the first issue of the New Year, on newsstands today, Scott Foley explains where and when he developed his passion for acting and how his live-in-the-present philosophy plays an important role in his life. Kristin Chenoweth Credits Happiness for her Success in Live Happy’s Nov/Dec Issue Dallas, TX — Nov. 4, 2014—Kristin Chenoweth, Emmy and Tony award winner, graces the cover of the November/December issue of Live Happy magazine, a first-of-its-kind publication combining science with engaging and informative content to help readers achieve true happiness and live fuller and more productive lives. In this issue, on newsstands today, Kristin explains why she chooses happiness above security and success and shares her gratitude for life’s many blessings. Olivia Newton-John Graces First Anniversary Cover of Live Happy Dallas, TX — Sept. 2, 2014— Singer, actress and positive-emotion advocate, Olivia Newton-John graces the cover of the September/October issue of Live Happy magazine, a first-of-its-kind publication that combines the science of happiness with engaging and informative content to help readers live fuller and more productive lives. In this anniversary issue, on newsstands today, the songstress shares recent life decisions that have helped her carve out more time to indulge in her passions for nature, love and the goal of a blissful life balance. Miranda Lambert Talks Life, Community, and Staying True to Her Roots in New Issue of Live Happy Dallas, TX — July 1, 2014— Country superstar Miranda Lambert graces the cover of the July/August issue of Live Happy magazine, a first-of-its-kind publication that combines the science of happiness with personal stories and exclusive interviews. In the issue, on newsstands July 1, the songstress talks about staying true to her roots in Lindale, Texas, as well as championing the causes closest to her heart, including no-kill rescue shelters for dogs and raising awareness for abused women. New Issue of Live Happy Magazine Reveals How Compassion Can Improve One's Wellbeing Dallas, TX – May 6, 2014 – Considered one of the greatest virtues, compassion – the feeling of empathy for others – is the theme of Live Happy magazine’s May/June 2014 issue that hits stands today. Live Happy is the first-ever lifestyle magazine to balance the science of positive psychology with the art of application, and as the new issue reveals, recent studies and scientific research confirm that people who practice compassion receive an array of benefits that go beyond simply feeling good. Live Happy Magazine Welcomes Happiness Expert Gretchen Rubin as Featured Columnist Dallas, TX – April 30, 2014 – Live Happy magazine is pleased to announce that happiness expert and bestselling author Gretchen Rubin will become a columnist beginning with the May/June 2014 issue. Since its inception, Live Happy’s mission has been to inspire people to engage in living purpose-driven, healthy and meaningful lives. To achieve that goal, the magazine has strived to assemble a team of the most talented writers and editors in the business to not only provide readers with stellar content, but also to add value to the brand. Live Happy LLC names Kym Yancey CEO and Co-Founder DALLAS, TX – April 10, 2014 – Live Happy LLC announces Kym Yancey as CEO and Co-Founder effective immediately. Previously Co-Founder, Chief Marketing Officer, and President of eWomenNetwork, North America’s premier women’s business network, Yancey will oversee Live Happy’s strategy development and business initiatives, which include Live Happy magazine and campaigns such as Acts of Happiness. United Nations Celebrates International Day of Happiness With Live Happy Magazine March 20, 2014 – The United Nations designated March 20 as The International Day of Happiness in June of 2012 stemming from a resolution presented in a high-level meeting by the nation of Bhutan – the first country to measure Gross Domestic Happiness. Live Happy’s access to the leading academics, authors, psychologists and experts in the field, as well as its role as an underwriter of the Positive Education Summit offered the UN unprecedented access to leaders in the field. “It was our goal to bring real-world expertise to each discussion,” said Live Happy founder Jeff Olson – also a panelist. Live Happy Makes Global Commitment for Acts of Happiness in Honor of International Day of Happiness March 10, 2014 – Happiness can change the world, and there's an uplifting addition to the calendar to help spread and share the joy: The United Nations has officially recognized March 20th as The International Day of Happiness. To celebrate, Live Happy has created a call to action to inspire people to help make the world a happier place by intentionally engaging in small acts to share and spread happiness. With a goal of receiving 100,000 pledges to commit an act of happiness by March 21, 2014, Live Happy LLC also plans to recognize the happy acts around the US by hosting happiness walls both physically in cities across the US on March 20th and virtually worldwide at ActsofHappiness.org. Happiness Matters: Live Happy Encourages All to Celebrate Happiness for a Day, Choose it for a Lifetime March 4, 2014 – Live Happy magazine’s third issue hits stands today, just in time to commemorate the United Nations’ 2nd annual International Day of Happiness. The March/April 2014 issue continues its mission to make 2014 the “year of happiness,” featuring articles and original content for readers to incorporate into their daily lives. In conjunction, Live Happy is joining forces with its Acts of Happiness campaign intended to inspire people nationwide to pledge and share their #happyacts. Live Happy Magazine Kicks Off 2014, the "Year of Happiness," with Issue Dedicated to "Hope" Dec. 20, 2013 – Live Happy magazine, the recently-launched publication dedicated to promoting and sharing authentic happiness, debuts its February 2014 issue on newsstands December 31st, launching its "Year of Happiness" with an issue devoted to "Hope." Live Happy Magazine Launches to Help Readers Live a Happier Life October 22, 2013 – The facts show that now more than ever, the concept of achieving personal happiness is at an all-time high. People are looking to family, relationships, careers and personal achievement, desperately seeking happiness, but finding more questions than answers. The new Live Happy magazine and website, launching today, will be the first lifestyle magazine completely dedicated to sharing information and resources to assist in our timeless pursuit of happiness.

Happy children in front of a chalkboard.

Positive Psychology

Positive Education Summit

One of the best things about being the editor-in-chief of Live Happy is meeting amazing professionals who are dedicated to increasing the wellbeing of others. This was particularly true at an international meeting that I attended recently and report on here:Applying positive psychology principles to education gave birth to the term positive education and to the Positive Education Summit held in the UK earlier this month. Summit leaders Martin Seligman, Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, and James O’Shaughnessy, Managing Director, Floreat Education in the UK, gathered delegates from around the world to share their experience, research and insights on positive education. A special meeting with British government officials at No. 10 Downing St. kicked off the summit and then continued at Wellington College, which hosted the three-day event.Support for positive education dominated presentations made by the delegates. University of Pennsylvania professor Angela Duckworth shared research that links character strength and student grade-point average, energy and class participation. David Levin, KIPP co-founder and superintendent, KIPP New York, talked about how teachers at his school lace lessons with questions aimed at building character and self-esteem. Stephen Meek, principal of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia, shared his school’s fully integrated model in which staff and faculty receive well-being training, and classes have well-being teachings interwoven into them. Ian Morris, Wellington College instructor and author of Learning to Ride Elephants, explained his program: Students are taught the basics of physical health, positive relationships, perspective, engagement and living sustainably as well as finding meaning and purpose. Kaiping Peng, professor at Tsinghua University, China, shared that 150 schools in China now teach positive education and the Chinese Positive Psychology Association made positive education it’s No. 1 priority.There was enthusiastic debate during the meeting with various viewpoints on the use of common words versus academic terms to define and describe positive education. The need to articulate positive education to multiple, diverse stakeholders and the context of local, national and cultural differences were projected into commentary and questions. While there was agreement about the premise of positive education, there was less unity on those topics. Delegates underscored the need for continued discussion on these and other important issues.Results from the summit:Awareness of positive education was raised in the UK: The meeting with government officials resulted in the request for a white paper on the subject.A new network of positive education experts was created: The delegates committed to planning a global positive education event.Examples of positive education at work were shared: Look for some of those stories here in the near future.

People

Forever Young: Dan Buettner on Human Longevity

Kamada Nakazato’s family was so poor that she dropped out of school in third grade to help her mother raise her siblings. At 18, she entered an arranged marriage with a man four years older. Kamada shouldered most of the parenting when their six children were small, because her husband traveled often in search of work. She wove straw hats for supplemental income, but the family still survived almost entirely on sweet potatoes. Eventually her husband could return home and help her finish raising the children to adulthood.Then World War II broke out, turning her native Okinawa into a battleground and changing the island’s culture forever. But Kamada’s life changed little: She had family responsibilities and still needed to work hard to eke out a modestexistence.In 2005, at age 102 and a widow for 10 years, she met Dan Buettner, an American on a research expedition seeking the health secrets of centenarians from Okinawa. Kamada wore a traditional kimono and brushed her hair straight back. Buettner noted her gentle brown eyes, which held wisdom, kindness and a deep spirituality. Everyone in the little community on the Motobu Peninsula revered her as a spiritual leader.“Living History”Buettner also treasured Kamada, one of the individuals who helped him uncover the well-being formula of the world’s longest-lived people.“I remember the little house in rural Okinawa.… This woman was born in the rain, outside, and now sort of knew life was angling in on her,” Buettner says. “To watch her go through these daily chores in this ancient house—it just felt like I was living history.”Digging into the backgrounds of centenarians like Kamada refined his life mission, making Buettner a best-selling author and earning him TV time alongside Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey. But conducting in-depth interviews with the elderly and studying their lifestyles wasn’t always his passion. “I had no great affinity for old people when I started this, as some might think,” he says with a chuckle.Instead, Buettner’s research into the “Blue Zones”—regions containing the highest concentration of people 100 or older—appears to be the apex of a lifetime exploring the globe… or perhaps only half a lifetime, it may turn out.Buettner’s PathBuettner learned to live self-sufficiently in the woods of his native Minnesota by age 6. His father, a special-education teacher, passed down a desire to experience the world in every way. Well-spoken and confident, Buettner, who turns 53 on June 18, has barely a wrinkle on his face and only a touch of gray in his hair. Seeking adrenaline during and immediately after his college days at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis-St. Paul, he sold newspaper subscriptions in a program that paid for long excursions to Spain and Morocco. Only later did he embark on real adventures.He set a Guinness World Record for biking across the Americas, from Alaska to Argentina. The 15,000-plus miles of Americastrek were completed in 1987. Then the Soviet Union began to break up, and Buettner cycled across that empire, in 1990’s Sovietrek. Two years later, Africatrek covered almost 12,000 miles.MayaQuest, when he and a team of experts on Mayan civilization traveled to Central America seeking an explanation for the society’s sudden collapse roughly 1,100 years ago, ultimately made Buettner an Internet pioneer in 1995. During that journey, the travelers uploaded their findings for—and responded to questions from—teachers and students at 40,000 participatingschools.“We were all trying to figure out how we could use the Internet as a communication vehicle for schools,” Buettner says. “But also, how do you engage students in a meaningful way, so they’re avidly learning about science?” MayaQuest attempted to explain how environmental factors influenced the Mayans and other cultures, and in the process encourage naturalism in a newgeneration.“MayaQuest was the first one out of the chute,” Buettner says. The “Quest” series later expanded. “We went on to explore the legend of Marco Polo, human origins in Africa and origins of Western civilization. Eventually, we stumbled upon a World Health Organization finding that Okinawa had the longest disability-free life expectancy in the world. I thought there had to be a non-genetic explanation—something is going on with their lifestyle and environment. We used the quest mentality to try to open that treasure chest.”Into the Blue ZonesSo began Buettner’s investigation into the secrets of centenarian-rich pockets of Japan, Mexico, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece and even Southern California—the research tour that would earn him publication inNational GeographicandThe New York Timesled to his 2008 bookThe Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, and what has become his life’s work, an attempt to spread the same healthy, happy principles to U.S. communities.In 2009 Buettner formed theBlue Zones Project, an organization that works with companies, schools, cities and towns to improve community well-being. More than 750 businesses and 40 schools have taken up the lifestyle principles, and dozens of city councils have joined in, adapting their communities to encourage the health of residents by building more bike paths, for example, and changing construction codes to encourage more pedestrians.LikeSUCCESS, Buettner believes there’s much more to life than amassing a fortune. Everyone has needs, and certain luxuries are always welcome, but making the most of life is about finding personal peace, enjoying family and friends, realizing a purpose, giving back, and passing on wisdom to future generations. The better their diet and health, the longer people can live, thus giving them a greater chance to impact the world. Astonishingly, these “success measures” directly relate to longevity.This revolutionary work has tied together the sciences of health and happiness with the search for meaning, so naturallySUCCESS’s interview with Buettner focused on how anyone can relate to his findings and how the Blue Zones studies have changed his life.Q:As an explorer, your M.O. was to tackle one challenge and search for the next. Why did you settle on longevity as your life’s work?A:I think each of us has a desire to find something that’s meaningful to others, not just ourselves. Most explorers start with an individual journey, and it eventually evolves into an expedition that has a chance to somehow make humans better. From the first trip to Okinawa, I knew,Wow! Here is a body of wisdom that can make a huge impact on America.At the time there were 77 million baby boomers who were getting old. I thought it was going to be something a lot of people would care about. It was the perfect alignment between my personal interests and a bigger interest.Q:How would you describe the experience of spending so much time around centenarians?A:It’s special. It really is. There’s a certain awe you have to have for someone who has reached triple digits. Somewhere between knowledge and wisdom is experience, and this demographic literally has more life experience than any other on Earth. I had a great editor atNational Geographicnamed Peter Miller, who told me to go and not just interview a bunch of centenarians, but go live with them.When you spend enough time with them, you discover a uniformity—they tend to have a sense of humor. They tend to listen. The grumps are kind of weeded out before age 100.Q:They’ve had many peaks and valleys over a long life. Why does happiness shinethrough?A:It comes not from money, although it’s important they have enough. They have food, shelter; they can treat themselves once in a while; it’s not just a life of drudgery. They have good access to healthcare, not top-of-the-line healthcare, but public healthcare that keeps them from developing diseases.But there’s also a connectivity you wouldn’t feel in a big city or a soulless suburb in America. Your neighbors are in your business a little. If you don’t show up to the local festival, they’re going to knock on your door and say, “Where the heck have you been?” It’s not a lonely existence. It’s a connected existence the human species has evolved with for the past 2.5 million years.Q:Has being around people who follow such a healthy routine led you to have more self-discipline?A:One thing I learned is you can enjoy rich foods and sweets occasionally, but one way to cut about half of that is just don’t bring it into the house. I don’t bring meat into my house, or sweets, or snacks. If you put a nice steak, or chips or a bowl of ice cream in front of me, I’ll eat it, but the fact it’s not in my house cuts a lot of it from my diet.People in the Blue Zones have no more discipline than we do. It’s really not our fault so many of us are overweight and unhealthy. It’s not a lack of discipline. We just let our environment careen out of control. People in the Blue Zones teach us how to set up our environment correctly. It’s not a magic diet. It’s a game of inches.I’m working around the country to lay out all those inches that add up over time. The places that have adopted early have innovative leadership that works well together. They’ve tried a number of things and seen them fail, and are ready to try something pioneering.Q:Studies suggest that because of obesity, today’s generation of children may have shorter lives than their parents. If they take care of themselves following these methods—and we assume medical advancements occur—how long do you believe a baby born today can live?A:[Demographer] James Vaupel has shown, pretty convincingly, that life expectancy jumps about two years every decade. A child born today could probably look forward to living 15 or 20 years beyond the current life expectancy [about 76 years for men and 81 for women in America].That jump is not linear. It’s erratic. When we discovered penicillin and antibiotics, the life expectancy of the human species leaped enormously. The life expectancy for a male in 1900 was about age 46. We’ve almost doubled it. If we could double it again, the life expectancy goes up to 150 or 160.We cannot see what that innovation would be in the same way we couldn’t have seen penicillin coming. But things like the sequencing of the human genome provide a glimpse of the potential for life expectancy.Q:As important as healthy living, your research indicates the ability to articulate a purpose for life is crucial. How can we find purpose, which seems like an abstract concept amid our daily grind?A:One is religion. If you’ve strayed from religion, go test it again. [Most] people who make it to 100 belong to some faith-based community. Along with a faith comes a value set you sign up for, a goal—whether it’s to be a good person to get into heaven, or be reincarnated. It puts the numbers on your side for longevity and happiness.People who pledge to our program are invited to a three-hour purpose seminar. We take them through an internal inventory to identify passions, strengths, things they enjoy doing, and how they can put those to work. In that cross-section, you get a pretty good idea of purpose besides “I’ve got to make money” or “I’ve got to raise my kids.”You’d be shocked how many Americans never have time for that internal inventory between waking up, going to work, getting dinner for the kids and then watching four hours of TV, on average. The internal inventory is the biggest step.What gets people in the Blue Zones out of bed in the morning, out of the easy chair—what gets them taking their medicine—is anexpectation. They don’t just expect to receive love or resources, but they are expected to love and to contribute. Expectation and purpose are part of the same package.We have a mindset in America that you have productive years into your mid-60s and then you retire. There’s no retirement in the Blue Zones. Rather than quitting their jobs and golfing for a couple years, then asking what’s next, these people continue to work for city mayors as aconsigliere, or take up town patrols, or continue at their job, but not as many hours.Q:To make it personal, can you envision keeping up your current pace for another 50 years?A:I’ll keep doing what I’m doing. I’m sure it’ll evolve. I’m thinking about purpose a lot right now and where people find that around the world. Working with these cities through the Blue Zones Project is satisfying because I can impact so many lives. The model isn’t exactly perfected, so I don’t see any reason to stop doing this for the foreseeable future.I have as much energy as I did when I was 30. So it’s hard to think about a sunset.

Education

Positive Education: The School of Wellbeing

Imagine sending your kids off to school and them learning reading, writing, arithmetic and flourishing. That’s the concept of positive education, a trend that’s popular in Australia and England, and gaining traction in the United States. Positive education is about merging flourishing—positive emotion, engagement, positive relationships, meaning and accomplishment—with traditional education. While many schools focus primarily on academic performance, positive education is about developing your child’s sense of well-being and social responsibility. While the idea of helping students build on their strengths and nurturing their resilience and well-being has been at the heart of Montessori and Steiner approaches for some time, Dr. Martin Seligman is leading the effort to bring positive psychology into more schools. Martin believes the need for positive education is growing with the worldwide prevalence of depression among young people. So he works with staff, parents and students to teach his PERMA model—the five elements of well-being—with the ultimate goal of helping students flourish. (P) Positive Emotions—Feeling positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, interest, hope (E) Engagement—Being fully absorbed in activities that use your skills yet challenge you (R) Relationships—Having positive relationships (M) Meaning—Belonging to and serving something you believe is bigger than yourself (A) Accomplishment—Pursuing success, winning achievement and mastery Some examples of positive education in schools include positive behavior initiatives (teaching empathy and compassion), curriculum designed to increase confidence, and strength projects for children. Michelle McQuaid, a teacher of positive education in Australian schools (and Live Happy blogger), believes “success is achieved when a school leadership team collectively supports the idea of making the well-being of students as important as their academic achievements and inviting, connecting and empowering the whole school community around this idea,” including administrators, teachers, parents and students. “My vision is for children to receive an education that teaches them how to flourish intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically. For this to happen, they need to be a part of an education system that is flourishing—where leadership teams feel challenged and supported, where teachers feel engaged and appreciated, and parents feel confident and empowered,” McQuaid says. What Parents Can Do Praise children for effort rather than intelligence. When you tell a child “You are so smart,” they don’t understand what they have done and how to repeat it, so they fear making mistakes or view failures as being dumb. When you praise effort, children understand they can influence the result, and learn to view failures as learning opportunities. Provide a consistent family routine. Take an interest in what your children are learning. Encourage special interests. Turn off the TV and encourage children to have free playtime where they use their imagination and creativity. Give kids achievable jobs at home to develop a sense of responsibility and self-mastery. Celebrate who your children are, not just what they achieve. Help your children discover their strengths, including character strengths like kindness. Show your children how to master challenges and overcome frustrations with an optimistic and not pessimistic approach. Teach and show your kids how to go on the hunt for gratitude. Share things that are going well. Keep lobbying your children and educators to create a learning environment that allows your child to flourish. What Schools Can Do Assess what you are doing well already. Adopt the PERMA model. Embed positive education into your school strategy so it becomes your school culture. Evaluate your results to assess your effectiveness. Connect with other educators and schools to share your positive education journey and benefit from their knowledge, resources and experiences Sandra Bienkowski, owner of The Media Concierge, LLC, is a national writer of wellness and personal development content and a social media expert.

Volunteering

Volunteer Match

It’s been proven that helping others makes you a happier person. And positive psychologists, behavioral economists and the Dalai Lama all agree that selfless acts can improve your well-being. More studies are beginning to show that kindness and generosity may even have an impact on human progress. A quote John F. Kennedy used often was “a rising tide lifts all boats.” It was generally associated with the economy, but along the same vein, when society as a whole becomes more benevolent—whether from giving or receiving—we can all benefit and grow. Volunteering is a great way to improve the quality of life in our society. Since there will always be people in need, the opportunities to help seem boundless. Whether it’s building a house for the less fortunate or being an uplifting influence in a young person’s life, volunteering can give you that positive feeling you may be searching for, and in turn, spreading that positivity to someone else. Volunteer matching websites are taking the legwork out of searching for the right cause and making it easier for people to find a volunteer opportunity more aligned with their interests. Here are a few websites where you can go to make a difference in the world: Volunteermatch is one of the best ways to connect to a cause, with millions of visitors and more than 95,000 participating organizations. Currently there are more than 80,000 opportunities to find the right match for you. The process is easy: Just enter your location and the cause you care about (or you can browse until you find something that is right for you). The HandsOn Network has one of the largest networks of local volunteer centers worldwide. They seem to attract a more skills-based volunteer with a focus on using their time and talent to create change in their communities. They even have a Volunteer Time Calculator so you can calculate how valuable your time contribution is in dollars and cents. Idealist.org is a website run by Action Without Borders, and is used as a virtual bulletin board for nonprofits and volunteers to post and seek out opportunities. Their Volunteer Resource Center has everything you need to know about being a volunteer. UniversalGiving is a nonprofit web-based marketplace that gives people an opportunity to donate money or volunteer to organizations all over the world. The website allows you to look for causes that need volunteers, or if you just want to help monetarily, you can fund an existing cause. You can even create your own personal fundraising page. UniversalGiving says all projects are vetted and 100% goes to the cause.

Smiling Buddha in Grass with Yellow Flowers

Self-Care

The Happiness Trap and How to Avoid It

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about happiness. It’s a subject not many people devote themselves to. Until the advent of “positive psychology” in the last decade, the psyche was largely studied through the window of unhappiness. Psychologists had their hands full treating anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and a host of other maladies the mind is heir to. It was assumed that happiness didn’t need much thought, on the whole. When pollsters asked the simple question “Are you happy?” more than 80 percent of Americans answered “yes.”But there’s a hidden trap behind this cheerful response. The expansion of happiness is the goal of life. However you define success, if it didn’t bring a measure of happiness, success wouldn’t be worth attaining. So what kind of success would make a person truly, deeply and permanently happy? Society pressures us to believe that external achievement is the key. If you attain enough money, status, power and all the other trappings of a burgeoning career, you will experience happiness. To this list, most people would also add the need for fulfilling relationships and a secure family life.The trap is that external success doesn’t lead to happiness. The evidence is well-documented by now. Studies of wealth reveal that, beyond a certain modest prosperity, having more money not only doesn’t buy greater happiness; rather, it tends to make people unhappy. On the broad scale, the traffic in pharmaceuticals for depression and anxiety is a multibillion-dollar business. Divorce rates hover around 50 percent, meaning that anyone’s chances of attaining a happy marriage are no more than random.Standing back from this confusing picture, I began to think of one person who had the courage to test, through his own experience, almost every avenue that might lead to happiness. He came to a definite conclusion, and he did it 2,500 years ago. Born a prince, he was carefully protected from any form of external suffering, yet by the time he grew up, simply the sight of other people’s suffering convinced him that money and privilege were fragile and unreliable. Every person, he reasoned, must confront disease, aging and death. Those threats were enough to undercut the comforts of the most coddled lifestyle.Therefore, he turned to a simpler existence. He left his family and wandered the countryside, begging for alms and depending on the kindness of strangers. He had no worldly obligations and enjoyed the simplicity he had found, yet his mind refused to be tamed. It ran riot with subtle fears and anxieties.So he decided to tame his mind by taming his body, because the body carries out the mind’s rampant desires. Through rigorous discipline, he underwent one kind of purification after another until his body wasted away and he was on the brink of death. Yet his mind refused to be tamed. He crawled back to a normal existence, and as he recuperated, he wondered what path was left to him.By now, you may realize that we are talking about Siddhartha Gautama, the ancient Indian prince who became the Buddha. As a physician myself, I think of him as a kind of soul doctor, someone who was willing to test to the fullest what it means to be alive and conscious. Siddhartha spent year after year in dissatisfaction, searching for one thing: a happiness that cannot be taken away. And year after year that kind of happiness eluded him.Until he attained enlightenment. The awakening of the Buddha is said to have taken place sitting under a tree on a moonlit night. But how can total transformation take place instantly after years of searching? Having found the goal of life—supreme happiness that can never be taken away—the Buddha must be called an ultimate success. I’d like to suggest that what turned Siddhartha into the Buddha is actually quite simple: He discovered his true self.I am not a Buddhist; rather, his story is symbolic of everyone. Happiness is a universal goal, and if the Buddha’s soul experiment was valid, the true self that he found is always available. By “true self,” I mean a level of awareness that is happy without reasons to be happy. It enjoys a permanent state of fulfillment, needing no externals. When you don’t need money, status, power or even other people to love you, those things don’t vanish. They remain valuable as mirrors of your inner fulfillment. Or, to put it simply, the externals that people chase after are the byproducts of happiness, not the cause.That’s where my recent thoughts led me, to the notion that enlightenment is actually the simplest and most basic way to be happy. Siddhartha found that pursuing his true self, as directly as possible, was the route to happiness.As I see it, enlightenment is not only a normal state; it’s the most normal state of existence. It’s also the highest definition of success.Deepak Chopra is a leader in the field of mind-body medicine and the author of numerous books, including the best-sellingAgeless Body, Timeless Mind: The Quantum Alternative to Growing Old.He serves as the director of education for the Chopra Center for Well-Being in California.

Resources

What Does It Mean to Thrive?

Based on Barbara Frederickson’s Broaden and Build theory, positive emotions can help us thrive within our lives. Broadening our awareness with positive emotions help us learn and grow, which then leads to developing skills and becoming more resourceful. This positivity compounds over time and eventually leads to an increase in well-being. While feelings of fear and anxiety help narrow our focus and sharpen our “fight-or-flight” response, positive emotions (ex. happiness, joy, contentment) help us expand our life instead of just trying to survive. People who are thriving tend to live longer and lead healthier lives.

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What is Positive Psychology?

Positive Psychology is an emerging field of study that focuses on the science of happiness. Pioneered by Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman in 1998, the purpose of Positive Psychology is to find out the virtues that lead to a meaningful life and the effects on that will have on an individual, as well as the community as a whole.Instead of just treating mental illness and relieving suffering, positive psychologists also focus on the strengths that make life worth living and restoring a healthy balance to well-being.Martin andMihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychology professor from Claremont Graduate University, describe the new science in the following way: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise that achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in individuals, families, and communities."Studies have shown that happiness can have a dramatic effect on an individual’s well-being, contributing to every aspect of their life, including health, relationships, employment and longevity. According to the United Nations World Happiness Report 2013, positive emotions help the cardiovascular, immune and endocrine systems; lower the risk of heart disease and strokes; and even speed up the recovery process. Happy workers are more likely to receive positive ratings from management, as well as see an increase in wages. Employee satisfaction can have a positive effect on productivity and performance, increasing revenue, sales and ultimately profit.Positive psychologists believe that figuring out the puzzle and pursuit of happiness can lead to answers to some of our biggest problems individually, nationally and even globally.

Resources

Positive Psychology Timeline

This timeline shows the progression of the unlikely and amazing story of positive psychology. You can read the full story in our article The Happiness Revolution. 1984 Ed Dienercoins the termsubjective well-being. 1985 Ed Dienerpublishes his Satisfaction with Life scale. 1997 Martin Seligmanand MihalyCsikszentmihalyimeet on a Hawaiian beach and begin mapping out a plan for launching positive psychology. 1998 Martin Seligman delivers his "Manhattan Project for the Social Sciences" inaugural presidential address at the American Psychological Association convention. Barbara Fredrickson's "broaden and build" theory of the value of positive emotions is published. 1999 The first positive psychology conference is heldin Akumal, Mexico. The first annual Positive Psychology Summit is held in Lincoln, Neb. The first university programs in positive psychology are available at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania. 2000 Special millennial issue ofAmerican Psychologistdevoted to positive psychology. First Templeton Prize to Barbara Fredrickson. 2001 "Positive emotions in early life and longevity: Findings from the nun study" published, linking happiness and positive outlook to longevity. U.S. News & World Reportpublishes "Happiness Explained" cover story. 2002 First International Positive Psychology Summit in Washington, D.C. U.S. Department of Education grants $2.8 million for Martin Seligman to explore positive psychology in a Philadelphia high school. Martin Seligman publishesAuthentic Happiness. 2003 Marcial Losada and Barbara Fredrickson publish their 3:1 positivity ratio, showing that those who flourish exhibit a ratio of at least 3:1 positivity-to-negativity in their behavior and expression. Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough publish "Counting Blessings Versus Burdens" showing that a consistent practice of gratitude increases wellbeing. 2004 $1 million National Institute of Mental Health grant to Sonja Lyubormirskyand Kennon Sheldon to explore practical "intervention" pathways to permanent increases in happiness. Martin Seligman and Chris PetersonpublishCharacter Strengths and Virtues, the definitive text and positive psychology's what-goes-right answer to psychology's classic what-goes-wrong reference textDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). 2005 Timepublishes its cover story, "The Science of Happiness." First master's program in positive psychology at U Penn. "Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change" study shows as much as 40 percent of personal happiness is dictated by personal effort. "Does happiness lead to success?" study shows broad range of benefits, from physiological health to financial and career success and greater social engagement. 2006 Gallup World Poll launched, with sampling that represents 95 percent of the world's population. Tal Ben-Shahar's "Positive Psychology" becomes Harvard's most popular course. 2007 Sonja Lyubormirsky publishesThe How of Happiness. First doctoral program in positive psychology at Claremont Graduate University. 2008 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index launched in the United States. The Pentagom approaches Martin Seligman to develop a positive psychology program for the U.S. Army. 2009 First World Congress on Positive Psychology held in Philadelphia. Barbara Fredrickson publishes her 3:1 positivity ratio finding inPositivity. 2010 Tony Hsieh'sDelivering Happinesshits No. 1 onNew York Timesbestseller list and stays on the list for 27 consecutive weeks. Gretchen Rubin'sThe Happiness Projecthits No. 1 onNew York Timesbestseller list and has stayed on the list continuously for more than two years. 2011 British government begins national happiness survey. Somerville, Mass., becomes the first U.S. city to track its population's happiness. 2012 Harvard Business Reviewpublishes issue on "The Value of Happiness."

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Forever Young: Dan Buettner on Human Longevity

Positive Education: The School of Wellbeing

Volunteer Match

The Happiness Trap and How to Avoid It

What Does It Mean to Thrive?

What is Positive Psychology?

Positive Psychology Timeline

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