The eyes behind the red glasses sparkle with almost childlike joy. Greta Silver welcomes me warmly, as if we were old friends. She has chosen a chic café with a view of the Alster for our meeting. "Only the best is good enough for us," she explains cheerfully. It almost seems as if even the harsh Hamburg weather has been infected by her great mood. We take our seats under a bright blue sky.

Greta may be 70 years old, but that's no reason for her not to treat life like a colorful children's birthday party. The pensioner models, runs a YouTube channel and is bursting with energy. "I've decided to live to be at least 120, so I'm in the prime of my life," she says.

How happy are you? Take our self-test!

Greta wants to put an end to the typical thoughts about getting older. "When are you finally going to do what you actually want to do? The answer is: now!" Has she always moved through life with such ease? Of course not. She has also had to deal with crises in her life. When she was 19, her father died. In her late 20s, pregnancy didn't work out for a long time. She knows the feeling of being bullied at work and has been through a divorce. Even today, dark clouds gather from time to time. "But it doesn't hit me so hard anymore," she explains, "and I can say afterwards that time has changed me in a positive way."

The grandmother of three seems so in tune with herself that you simply have to ask her: "What's your secret?" Greta smiles. "If there's one thing, it's that I've realized: I am solely responsible for my happiness." For a long time, she made her mood dependent on the people around her. She had what Greta calls "secret contracts" with them:

With her ex, friends, colleagues. The realization that you have to free yourself from other people and step out of your comfort zone for your own personal happiness is bitter medicine at first. Putting it into practice is a life's work. But the gain is priceless: boundless freedom. A drastic experience also changes Greta's attitude: as a young woman, she is startled out of a deep sleep one night by a rumbling noise. Her first thought: burglars! She lies awake all night, bathed in sweat. In the morning, she realizes that only a board on the balcony had fallen over. The whole situation is the perfect metaphor.

A good reason for Greta to never let fears spoil her life again. Instead, she goes through life with positive thoughts and is open to new challenges. Her daughter persuades her to take on a modeling job, which ultimately brings her more and more commissions. And a friend convinces her to set up a YouTube channel to convince the 40+ generation of the joys of getting older.

9 tips from Greta for more joie de vivre

"Often we just have to change our perspective a little to recognize the good things for us." In her book "Like sherbet powder on the tongue", Greta Silver explains why old age is the best time of life. She wants to motivate other people to do the same. The book is published by Scorpio-Verlag and costs 18 euros.

Living independently

We must not make our mood dependent on other people. This is because we make them responsible for our personal happiness. But only we should decide how we feel and no one else.

Saying no

We don't have to be available to others always and everywhere. It is perfectly legitimate to say no. It protects our boundaries and gives us freedom.

Don't wait

We often think that we can only be happy once we have achieved this or that. This puts us in a waiting position, which can make us unhappy in the long run. Better: live in the now.

Be grateful

Every evening, write down the wonderful things you have experienced that day and what you are grateful for. This fills your inner happiness engine and gives you a good feeling.

Forgive

Everyone has been hurt and disappointed by other people in their lives. However, we should not hold their mistakes against them, but practice forgiveness. This may be difficult. But this is the only way to take away the power of these people to decide how we feel.

Complaining break

Complaining about everything and everyone can become an energy-sapping habit. Put yourself on a diet of complaining to relax.

Think good thoughts

Sport and exercise in the fresh air are the best killers of depressive moods. If that's not possible at the moment, put a stop sign in front of you when your thoughts turn negative and concentrate on something beautiful with all your senses.

Don't belittle yourself

False modesty is a happiness killer. Let's stand by our abilities and talents, because after all, we have plenty of them.

Love letter to yourself

Take a look at yourself from the outside and write down all the beautiful qualities and strengths that you like about yourself. Keep the love letter in a special place and read it aloud to yourself from time to time.

Greta Silver © Lotta-Photography