That runs hand-in-hand with my favorite philosophy (I’m sure others have arrived at this conclusion): “It pays to cultivate inexpensive tastes.”
Does this mean you’re having kittens?
Hee-hee-hee!
Shirley Ujest, I like the way you think!
–SSgtBaloo
I would say my health is the most important thing. I have a hard time finding happiness when I don’t feel good. If you have good health, to me, that’s about 90 percent of happiness. When I am healthy I can get out and have fun, doing almost anything.
(1) Not to sound trite, but an attitude of gratitude.
When you start remembering to be grateful for the little things, your whole outlook on life improves.
(2) Wear your age gracefully. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not just because you think society expects it of you.
(3) Remain active, both mentally and physically. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.
I’m 60 and I just love it when people ask this particular question.
First, I really do have to take my prozac. It allows me to be who I am and to have enough sense to make myself happy.
I’m not one for living up to other people’s expectations. My husband and I are totally self-indulgent. Neither of us cooks. I’m in charge of the house. He’s responsible for the yard. The house always needs a good cleaning and decluttering and the grass doesn’t get mowed for weeks. There are more important things in life. Like sleeping in.
I don’t spend a lot of time worrying. If there is a problem, I list what I can do. Then I do the things on the list. After that, I let go. I read how to do that in a book on wilderness survival. Or maybe it was the Bible. I get them confused sometimes.
Each decade of my life I’ve had a major goal. That has made reaching those “round” birthdays something to celebrate. My goal for my 60’s is to travel. (I just got back from two weeks in Paris in April after not having flown for 32 years. Now my husband and I are saving for a trip to Europe on the Queen Mary. I always have these “sub-goals” going.)
I don’t place too many expectations on others.
I always speak up on certain issues.
Cursing seems to work wonders for my attitude as long as it is not directed at anyone who can hear me.
I take pleasure in the moment:
My first night in Paris, after my granddaughter had gone to sleep, I sat mostly in darkness with the doors to the balcony open and listened to an Edith Piaf CD that I had brought with me. I came prepared for just that experience.
Bath time can be a ritual with candles, music, a nice drink, Crabtree and Evelyn’s Spring Rain bath supplies and plenty of time.
My grandchildren have allowed me to continue to be playful. They are beginning to grow up now and I am really going to miss those screaming contests and feet tickling sessions. My husband might be game though.
I make music. Sometimes I make it up as I go on the keyboard or I pick out an old tune or I learn something new.
I drive an nice inferno red convertible. Sometimes I drive around with the top down and listen to Bolero or the soundtrack from A Man and a Woman or Stan Getz playing Tom Jobim.
I honestly could keep listing things for the next hour. But I swear to you, if it weren’t for prozac, I wouldn’t be able to put one foot in front of the other.
It is difficult to answer when you do quote Janis Ian ‘At Seventeen’ to enquire about getting dotty. But you do become far more relaxed, in a lot of cases financial worries settle themselves, you can show your album of ‘In A Gadda Da Vida’ to all the other relatives, and, as has been mentioned, beer.
My mom, who is 77, has a hobby of going to all the senior centers and assisted living places open houses that offer free meals and free things to lure you in.
She’ll happily spend $20 in gas for a free meal.
Well, I do expect there will be great advances in medicine by then. 
Hey Shirley! Your post brings this one to mind:
Q: How many female lawyers does it take to grease a combine?
A: Just one, but you’ve got to run her through it reaaal slooow.
Ducks & Runs…
Nobody can say I’m not going through a second childhood, no siree!
Why play it safe, let’s run all the lawyers through the harvesters.
Which reminds me of a rather bad joke.
What is Mozart doing lately?
Decomposing.
thank you, thank you.
Well I’m not exactly a senior but half way there.
It’s very easy to be happy when everything in your life are going well as in Shodan’s example. I would say most people who found themselves in my position wouldn’t be happy, I have none of the things people equate with success and happiness, yet I am very happy and content.
When I was younger I was idealistic and very volatile and passionate about issues. Now, I’m mellow and nothing much upsets me, I laugh often and heartily and don’t worry at all about the future, just live one day at a time. Having a life threatening condition puts everything in perspective, you really do sort out fairly quickly what’s important in life and learn to appreciate every minute.
Ohmigod! Shirley’s been reaped!
OMG I just read my previous post. I must preview my posts. I must preview my posts.
The second sentence should read “It’s very easy to be happy when everything in your life IS going well as in Shodan’s example.”
How embarrassing.