Contributed by: Sandra Adams, CFP®
Having had a “milestone” birthday at the end of last year, I came across a book recently that caught my attention. The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50 by Jonathan Rauch seemed like a book that I had to read – who wouldn’t want to know how and why life was going to start getting better!?! I was completely intrigued by this book. It is backed by the personal experience of the author, actual case studies, and long-term social research. So, what did I learn?
Research indicates that life satisfaction declines in your forties. Despite being dubbed as having a “midlife crisis”, your forties are less of a crisis and more of a sense of despair. Why could this happen?
We realize that we’re not going to achieve everything we once imagined
We compare ourselves to others who’ve achieved more and question our self-worth
We lack gratitude and feel shame or embarrassment
However, by age 50 (or shortly thereafter) our “sour” mood changes and we begin to feel more life satisfaction. As each decade passes, our happiness “ranking” gets even higher.
We become less focused on our own goals and become more focused on serving others
We accept our life and focus on personal relationships instead of external achievements
We stop comparing ourselves to others and focus more on our own internal satisfaction
Key takeaways:
Be self-aware of the psychology behind your feelings
Know that the “midlife crisis” isn’t forever and better times are ahead
The future is an opportunity to live our happiest and most socially satisfying years
For those who are focused on the negatives of aging such as an ailing body or a failing mind, I challenge you to pick up The Happiness Curve to get a different perspective on your future retirement years. What you learn just might surprise you! If you’d like to have a conversation about this topic or additional topics around retirement or longevity planning, feel free to contact me at sandy.adams@centerfinplan.com.
Sandra Adams, CFP®, is a Partner and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional at Center for Financial Planning, Inc.® and holds a CeFT™ designation. She specializes in Elder Care Financial Planning and serves as a trusted source for national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Research Magazine, and Journal of Financial Planning.