Studies have confirmed that people who regard their life as...

Studies have confirmed that people who regard their life as meaningful tend to be happier and more satisfied other things being equal (Martin, 2006, PP. 56). We are better equipped to be happy if we can enjoy the present, prepare for the future and avoid dwelling on the Past. Happy people are usually able to think ahead, but they do not spend their lives waiting for some imaginary future or endlessly mulling over bad things that happened in the past.

They are also capable, at the right time, of losing themselves in the here and now and relishing the present moment (Martin, 2006, P.62). Studies of older Americans find that one of the best…