It is not what happens to us but what we make of it that counts.
Mary C. Morrison, Let Evening Come, Reflections on Aging

1. - Former President of the U.S., George Bush, celebrated his 75th birthday by jumping from a plane and sky diving for 4,500 feet before opening his parachute and returning safely to earth.
2. - At 77 years of age, former astronaut and Senator, John Glenn, returned to space after 36 years on board the space shuttle, Mercury.
3. - At 95 jazz pianist, Eubie Blake, played piano on the lawn of the White House, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival. Blake continued to play jazz until his death at the century mark.

While playing about in space or on the piano may not be your cup of tea, actions such as those of Bush, Glenn and Blake are notable in two important ways. First they undermine the cultural myth that the process of aging is simply a downward spiral. Too long has the culture glorified the condition of youth, while considering the aging as simply "over the hill." Besides this, these men provide significant models. They serve as invitations to those who have accepted the old cultural stereotypes to expand their vision - to think and act creatively so that aging may become perhaps the richest period of one's life.

On this website we would like to talk about how rich these years can be in terms of positive lifestyles. What does it mean to have a positive lifestyle? Judging from the available literature, the chief components of a positive lifestyle include:

1. - An optimistic attitude toward life and its potentials.
2. - A curiosity toward oneself and the surrounding world.
3. - A sense of one's life as having meaning or significance, and a commitment to one's goals.
4. - A desire for pleasure, fun, and development.
5. - A willingness to take action
6. - A sense of control over one's destiny.
7. - A capacity to engage in meaningful personal relationships.

Research on positive lifestyles is in its infancy in comparison to the attention dedicated to physical illness. And, while attention to physical health is surely desirable, society is becoming increasingly aware that the quality of life is no less important than the quantity. It is not simply that "living well is the best revenge;" Rather, a life that is simply free of physical mala dies, and this alone, is scarcely worth living. It is in creating the "what else?" that the question of positive lifestyles emerges.

Further, a positive lifestyle affects so much else that we do. For example, research strongly suggests that quality and quantity are closely associated. In one study, persons with positive attitudes were four times less likely to suffer a heart attack than their depressed counterparts. In effect, remaining optimistic is possibly more important in predicting longevity than level of cholesterol. Further, if one does have heart disease, remaining optimistic as opposed to falling into depression, is associated with a longer life. To live positively often means to live longer.

While "third age" citizens are increasing in their capacities to generate positive lifestyles, many feel they are not reaching their potential. And too, many live in conditions of negativity. Helpful research is slowly accumulating. Some of this research points to pre-conditions that may favor positive as opposed to negative lifestyles. For example, research dispels the myth that genes are the chief determinant of health in old age. Rather, as we grow older genetic factors play less role; rather, it is the style in which we live that more significantly determines longevity.

Other studies focus on factors in the immediate environment that may help or hinder the development of positive lifestyles. Here, for example, research strongly emphasizes the importance of human connection - active participation in relationships with family, friends, community. In one study of patients suffering from coronary artery disease, half of those without friends and relatives were dead within five years - a rate three times higher than among patients with spouses or friends.

Finally, continuing research is pointing out avenues of opportunity, choices that one can make to bring out the rich and invigorating potentials of life. Here research suggests, for example, that it is important to gain a sense of control over one's day to day outcomes. Organize the day, control information intake, and plan in such a way that you exert an influence on what takes place rather than being a victim of circumstance. Herein lies one key to a positive lifestyle.

Let us introduce ourselves a bit to you. We are The Gergens, psychologists who teach at colleges in the U.S. Ken teaches undergraduates at Swarthmore College, and Mary works at Penn State University, at the Delaware County campus near Philadelphia. We have been married for 30 years this year, and have an ever-growing family, including three grandchildren. We have a strong self-interest in looking for information about positive lifestyles, as you might imagine. We have many hopes that this will provide a place for all of us to share information and ideas about creating positive lifestyles, of all varieties.

In future months, the Positive Lifestyles site will feature detailed accounts of relevant research, offer a list of significant readings, point to a range of useful web resources, and offer an opportunity for questions, conversations, and commentaries on relevant topics.