Researchers examined the personalities of 2,529 people from the time of their birth, surveying them at ages 16, 26, and roughly 64. They found that people who were more extroverted in their early adulthood—meaning they were socially involved, physically active, and generally engaged with life—were much more likely to be satisfied with life past their 60s than the more reserved, less engaged young adults. Although there may be some genetic and neurobiological factors at play, the connection between personality traits and emotional susceptibility is likely attitude, explains Catharine Gale, PhD, from the University of Southampton in the UK. “It may be that the ways of thought and behaviors that are characteristic of extroversion makes people less vulnerable to distress and more likely to be happy.” The good news is that, shy or not, everybody is capable of picking up those kinds of thoughts and behaviors, Gale says. While nobody’s asking you to make a 180-degree change from wallflower to limelight lover, giving yourself a little push every now and then can make all the difference. More from Prevention: 2-Minute Happiness Tricks
