Who Has the Secret to Well-Being? The Answer May Surprise You.

When it comes to happiness and living well, we can learn a lot from toddlers.

Stay with me here. Hasan Merali, an associate professor of pediatrics at McMaster University and a pediatric emergency room physician, has treated thousands of patients between the ages of 1 and 5. In his book, “Sleep Well, Take Risks, Squish the Peas: Secrets From the Science of Toddlers for a Happier, More Successful Way of Life,” he writes that this group has an undeserved bad reputation.

“A term I dislike very much is ‘terrible twos,’” Dr. Merali told me. “Or ‘three-nagers.’ Can you imagine if we labeled another age group like this?”

Yes, he said, toddlers have tantrums, but research suggests that they occur, on average, once a day, and last three minutes.

The rest of the time, Dr. Merali said, toddlers are models of well-being. He shared a few good habits, common among the under-5 crowd, that can improve your mental and physical health.

Try positive self-talk.

Young children tend to coach themselves out loud, a practice known as private speech (such as this popular clip from a 4-year-old snowboarder).

Toddlers aren’t shy about self-talk, Dr. Merali said, and you shouldn’t be, either. Research suggests that for adults, positive self-talk can help with problem-solving, learning, confidence and managing your emotions.