Understand

How to rediscover your purpose later in life

You don’t have to ‘reinvent’ yourself to live happily after 60. There’s a better approach grounded in lifespan psychology

by Denise Taylor

Black and white photo of passengers seated and standing inside a crowded train carriage, some holding bags and flowers; a woman seated in the foreground has an annoyed look on her face.

EMOTION REGULATION

How to tolerate annoying things

Hassles are part of life, but the way we react often makes them worse. ACT skills can help you handle them with greater ease

by Patricia E Zurita Ona

Turkeys crossing a foggy bridge with lamp posts, guardrails and a “Hasankeyf” sign visible.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to imagine a better future for yourself

Feeling unclear or pessimistic about what’s ahead? Your ‘best possible self’ is a tool for seeing things differently

by Dan Tomasulo

A home entrance with a black front door, mirrored wall, umbrella stand and carpeted stairs.

MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to build a memory palace

Upgrade your ability to recall dates, names or other details with an ancient trick of the memory trade: the ‘method of loci’

by Lynne Kelly

Black and white photo of a crow perched on a post against a snowy background.

DEATH AND DYING

The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun

In the therapy room, I’ve seen how rethinking what we are – and what it means to ‘be dead’ – can lighten our fears

by Eric Jannazzo

Silhouette of a person with headphones holding a phone against a twilight sky with streetlamps in the background.

CHANGE AND SELF-DEVELOPMENT

How to write yourself every day

By getting thoughts out of your head and on to a page, you can become the author of your own life, one small page at a time

by Mohsen Askari

Photo of people swimming in a misty lake, with a person in a blue bikini entering the water in the foreground.

HABITS AND ROUTINES

How to become the person you want to be

Close the intention-action gap and live the way you want, using insights from the cognitive neuroscience of habits

by Eike Buabang

A cluttered room with books, papers, toys and shelves filled with various items, including a table football game.

FOCUS AND ATTENTION

How to reclaim your attention

Psychological minimalism is a way to clarify your life by cutting the mental noise from your environment and routines

by Yousri Marzouki

A close-up view of a cheeseburger with multiple beef patties, melted cheese and crispy onion rings.

PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

Guilty pleasures are more than just giving in to temptation

Psychologists are discovering what’s going on when you do something you enjoy, but also feel weird or embarrassed about

by LaCount ‘JJ’ Togans

Illustration of an older woman with white hair in front of bookshelves, hands clasped, wearing a green and red top.

FREEDOM AND CHOICE

Romila Thapar: doyenne and dissenter

The great historian came of age at the end of British rule in India. Now 94, she continues to defy a regime determined to forget the pluralism and dissent of India’s past

by Raghu Karnad

Hands shaping clay on a spinning pottery wheel, with a tool used for carving.

FOCUS AND ATTENTION

How to enter a state of flow

That moment of sweet immersion in the task at hand: that’s flow. With some strategy, you can experience it more often

by Susan A Jackson

A person’s left hand holds an old family photo near documents and letters on a table; their right hand holds a pen that is positioned to write on a yellow strip of paper.

MEMORY AND NOSTALGIA

How to be the archivist of your own family

By curating your family’s stories, rituals and relics, you’ll feel anchored – and create a bridge between the generations

by Samantha Ellis

Silhouetted photo of two people talking by a window with sunlight streaming in; buildings and cars visible outside.

THE SELF

Intimacy is risky, but it’s the only way to true acceptance

Beyond the initial shame, there are rich rewards in sharing important, hidden parts of ourselves with others

by Jasmine Gunkel

A smiling woman with tattoos at an outdoor festival, surrounded by blurred people and trees in the background.

PERSONALITY

The trait that makes some people so frustrating – and alluring

Conscientiousness is constantly touted as a virtue, so what’s life like for people with the opposite trait – disinhibition?

by Janan Mostajabi

Photo of a person leaning back with hands on head at a desk, laptop open, with feet up on the desk, green background.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to think differently about procrastination

Avoid the trap of thinking you’re either working or not. A different mindset promises less self-judgment and more progress

by Rebecca Roache

Photo of elderly women playing Mahjong at a table, laughing and engaged in the game in a cosy indoor setting.

AGEING

Why older people are happier and what we can learn from them

Around the world, happiness tends to peak later in life. It has more to do with balancing priorities than elderly wisdom

by Xianmin Gong & Natalie Wong