Dr. Ellen Langer

And so all of a sudden there are all these things happening that you're not part of.

Okay, so the kids aren't there.

So now you have to make some effort, invite some people over.

I guess the bottom most line of all of it is that everything can be changed.

People, I do a lot of research, as you know, with older adults, and people are now crazed.

I mean, my friends are.

you know, with everything to live longer.

And I think it's a mistake.

I think rather than add more years to your life, what you want to do is add more life to your years.

And that will probably extend your life.

And that's what you want to do in each of these, you know, if let's, I get people calling me,

and they say they told me I had six months to live.

I said, I can't tell you what to do.

All I can tell you is if I thought I only had six months to do, first thing I'd have is a hot fudge sundae.

And then I do, you know, you want to not waste any of the moments.

And the good thing is that all of those mindful activities are the neurons are firing, and it turns out that itself is good for your health.

So when you're having fun, it's good for your health.

And it feels good, obviously.

So what I'd say to somebody, you tell me you're stressed up the wazoo, I'd say, okay, what I want you to do, we'll talk about your stress in a minute.

So I know you're overwhelmed, you're always stressed, is to just thread a needle.