“As I get older, I have less desire to do well
“The desire to live well is more important.”

★ Bestselling author with cumulative sales of 1.2 million copies
★ 30 years of 6,000 patient care, a compilation of research by Japan's top psychiatrists

Living a life of constant leisure and comfort
The secret of people you want to be like

Actress Youn Yuh-jung, fashion designer Milanonna, Robert De Niro from the movie “The Intern,” … … .
When I see adults living more wonderful lives as they get older, there are times when I think, 'I want to be an adult like that too.'
So how can we become adults who live their lives with such ease and comfort? The secret is "looseness."
This is what Professor Hideki Wada, Japan's leading geriatric psychiatrist, discovered while observing 6,000 middle-aged and elderly patients over the past 30 years.
People who have a relaxed attitude and have some mental space manage their inner anxieties and worries better as they age, and live healthier lives, compared to people who are meticulous about everything and measure it.
In this book, he draws on the stories of countless "good adults" he has met and his own experiences to explain in detail how to create some space in a complicated and anxious mind, and how to cultivate a relaxed attitude that is not tied down by anyone or anything.
《Adult Looseness》 will be a new charger for readers who feel that their body and mind are more frequently discharged without realizing it.

If you can achieve the same results, it's better to take it easy, as it won't ruin your body and mind. This is the conclusion I've reached after working as a psychiatrist for nearly 40 years, because I've often seen people who choose strict and painful methods for themselves end up suffering from depression and ruining themselves.
I always tell my patients, “You could probably live a little looser.”
As a geriatric psychiatrist, I truly understand that this "loose lifestyle" is more important as we age than it is for younger people.


Living leisurely is the secret to living a healthy and prosperous life as you age.
For example, if you have reached retirement age, you are finally free from the shackles of work and human relationships.
We have been given the right to live much more loosely than before.
Since this is a rare opportunity, I think it would be good to live a little more leniently.
--- From "Introductory Remarks"

“It seems that the Japanese have a particularly ingrained mindset of ‘you have to be strict with yourself’ and ‘a person who controls himself is a good person.’
In Korea, a similar society, there seems to be a culture that considers it a matter of pride and that one should not live carelessly or sloppily.
Certainly, that kind of thinking is also an advantage of East Asians.
This aspect is considered great, but sometimes this sincerity goes too far.
Just by freeing yourself from the stereotypes that say, "I have to do it this way," or "I have to just quietly follow the current situation," everyone, including you, will feel better.
The loose life I recommend is this small shift in thinking.

Strict self-control and an unnecessarily strict adherence to rules and manners are the result of old-fashionedness and conscientiousness that come with age.
In the future, we need to let go of those strict values ​​and become more comfortable.
--- 「Chapter 1.
“The more you let go of your strength, the smoother life becomes.”

If you had to choose the easy way or the standard but difficult way, which would you choose? Could you be unknowingly choosing the thorny path, thinking, "The easy way is cowardly" or "There's more to learn from the difficult path"?

As we age, our physical strength declines and our ability to concentrate weakens.
If we proceed with everything as before in that state, it will naturally take time and the quality of the results will decline.
Frustrated with yourself for not doing it right and not being satisfied with the results, you'll only end up stressed out.

The mindset of 'Even if it's a bit difficult, you have to take the rough road' or 'If you work hard, you'll be able to do it somehow' no longer works.
If you want to achieve great results, find ways to improve your performance as easily as possible.
Since you have the experience of working hard for a long time, even if you plan to take it easy, you will get good results.
--- Chapter 2.
From now on, I will walk comfortably with a light heart.

People who are always careful not to appear unpleasant to others tend to guess the feelings of those around them and make conclusions like, "You shouldn't do this," or "You shouldn't act like that."
And you put chains on yourself.
People who wear shackles arbitrarily are so considerate that they are confident that they will never behave rudely towards others.
However, no matter how considerate you are, a word said hastily can make others angry or upset.
But without realizing it, you just think strangely, 'Why is this person upset?', 'Why hasn't he contacted you since that day?'

No matter how considerate you are, situations that make you angry are bound to arise.
Moreover, since the person getting angry is the other person, there are many times when it is impossible to stop it no matter how much consideration you give.
More importantly, recognize the other person's anger or resentment and quickly offer a sincere apology.
--- 「Chapter 3.
"Enough with the excessive attention and consideration, now I come first"

Many people regularly undergo comprehensive health checkups or national health checkups, believing that they are essential for living a long and healthy life.
And aren't you overjoyed or disheartened by the results? If you see abnormal results in your blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood sugar levels, you might feel like you're drifting away from your health and try to forcefully change your lifestyle.
But if you control yourself by saying you need to cut down on salt or not eat fatty foods, eating will become unpleasant and your life will become dull.

Whether you are healthy or not is not determined by test results or doctors, but by yourself.
Rather than limiting yourself by saying, “You can’t do that,” or “You have to do it this way,” it’s important to feel comfortable in your body and mind first.
--- 「Chapter 4.
“Health care also requires laxity”

As we grow older, we should challenge ourselves with various things with the mindset of experimenting, preparing for the next stage of our lives.
It's not difficult.
It's about trying something you've never done before in your life.


‘I’m free to do what I want,’ ‘It’s okay if I can’t do anything,’ ‘It’s okay to fail to some extent,’ ‘It’s okay to quit right away or drag it out,’ ‘It’s okay if I don’t succeed,’ ‘I don’t care what others think,’ ‘I don’t compare myself to others.’ Such attitudes lead to a happy and relaxed life.
First of all, don't reject anything, but accept it as it is.

It's okay to have tastes in things you like, such as your favorite wine, your favorite brand, or your favorite tea, but instead of deciding that you like only those things and dislike everything else, let's try to be interested in other things as well.

--- Chapter 5.
From "Don't just grow old, grow more leisurely too"