India, Dec. 30 -- At the end of the year, I like to reflect on the key events of the year, the feelings they evoked, and about the people who had an impact on my life. As I have grown older, I have learnt to make this process interesting for myself, and my clients by choosing specific questions that allow me to pause and reflect.

Being a therapist, one of my first questions has to do with feelings and pleasant emotions. I began by asking myself, "What did I do that was fun for me this year?" It's a question that is key to our vitality and playfulness. At the same time, much of what defines midlife for many adults is caregiving, grief, rethinking work, and coming to terms with changes in the body and mind. So, allowing for moments of ligh...