107-year-old shares her secrets to happiness as you age—they’re linked to a longer and healthier life

American culture pushes people to dream big, stand out, and reach for the stars. That can make living a typical life feel underwhelming, or even like a failure.

Nonsense, says Shirley Hodes, who celebrated her 107th birthday earlier this month at an independent living facility in North Carolina. “Not everyone has their dreams come true,” she tells CNBC Make It. If you want to be happy in life, especially as you age, “you have to look at other things besides dreams.”