In many ways, baby boomers have a lot to be thankful for. After all, on paper, we are the wealthiest generation of all time. We are also destined to live longer than any generation before us.

At the same time, life after 60 isn’t a bed of roses. Many of us are dealing with divorce or changing family circumstances. Others are encountering a major illness for the first time. Still others are struggling with loneliness or isolation.

At times, it feels like we are small boats, riding on the waves of life, trying desperately not to fall in.

Life After 60 is Colored by Our Past

All of us experience hardship at some point in our lives. So, why is it that some of us are able to stay happy and positive while others seem to be easily overwhelmed by negative emotions?

After talking with 1000s of older women, I am convinced that happiness after 60 has less to do with how the world treats us and more to do with how we frame the situation.

People who are able to re-frame their problems in terms of opportunities – or at least in terms of things that they can control – are more likely to find happiness in life after 60.

Divorce is difficult, but, it is also an opportunity to fill our lives with people that make us happy. Illness can be tragic, but, it can also remind us of our mortality and encourage us to focus on what is important. Losing a job in your 60s can be devastating financially, but, it can also encourage you to start your own venture and follow your passions.

I’m not trying to trivialize the pain that people experience when hardship strikes. Trust me, I had my fair share. I am simply saying that worrying about our problems or feeling sorry for ourselves never improves our situation.

The only way to make a positive difference in your life is to focus on what you can control, no matter what fate throws your way.

Worrying about your problems or feeling sorry for yourself is self-destructive. The only way to make a positive difference in your life is to focus on what you can control, no matter what fate throws your way.

Do you consciously try to reframe your problems in terms of what you can control? Do you agree or disagree that focusing on opportunities rather than challenges is a key to positivity after 60? Why or why not? Please join the discussion.