- The behavioral economist Andrew Oswald found that from about the time we are teenagers, our sense of happiness starts to decline, hitting rock bottom in our mid-40s (middle-age crisis, anyone?). Then our sense of happiness miraculously starts to go up again rapidly as we grow older.
- All in all, Oswald tested a half million people in 72 countries, in both developing and developed nations.
- And it’s not only we humans who slump in the middle and feel sunnier toward the end. Just recently, Oswald and colleagues demonstrated that even chimpanzees and orangutans appear to experience a similar pattern of midlife malaise.
- Women hit happiness-bottom at 38.6 years on average, whereas men do more than a decade later, at nearly 53.
Source: Brainpickings.org – Life Cycle Of Happiness
Wonderful! I have so much to look forward to (besides new wrinkles every day).
That’s right Anneli!
From personal experience, I would say this is true.
Are you talking about my wrinkles, Darlene?
🙂
Very interesting!
That’s good to know! I’m in my early forties and I was afraid it was all downhill from here!
Early Forties?! You are still a teen.
Interesting indeed. Nice to know rock bottom has passed and it’s all uphill from here!
Laughing. That’s right Laurie. No more lows. See the chart, it’s straight up.
OMG! My pending 39th birthday was a low. Rock-bottom. I’m so normal 🙂
Glad it’s far behind – I’ve been on my way back up ever since (as long as I get sleep).
Imagine that. The low is so far behind you and it’s straight up from there.
It IS interesting! and Yay it’s all on the up from here 🙂
Laughing. Yay is right.
Interesting…thanks for posting! Glad I’m on the uphill swing 🙂
🙂 Yes, you are Vicki
Exciting…no where but up for me!
Yes, it could turn for you any time pal. Anytime.
The blissful time when no one depends tends to be happier than those, when everyone depends on your income 😉
You know I never looked at it that way. If that were the case, they need to stretch of the start of real happiness for me. Great insight Kalabalu! 🙂
🙂
thank you 🙂
I have nominated you for the ,” Blog-of-the-Year-2012-Award -Five Stars/.
http://kalabalu.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/Blog-of-the-Year-2012-Award-Five-Stars/.
Thank you Kalabalu. I appreciate your nomination and the kind words on your post.
you are most welcome
All I can say, as a 52 year old man, is that if this is life at its most miserable, what on earth will it be like when it’s at its peak (10 years’ time for me). Bring it on!
Smiling. That’s right Michael. You are on the cusp of a happiness explosion for the next 20 years. How exciting.
You have my thanks, David 😉 I’m going up, up up!
Excellent. That’s right Marion. Straight up! 🙂
Personally, I don’t see myself on that curve… but maybe that’s just me, and as the author says, the curve is true for most people, “on average”. All research on “satisfaction” and “happiness” struggles with the same problems: 1. Defining what you mean by “satisfaction” (or whatever it is you are trying to measure); 2. Dealing with the fact that “self-reporting” is affected by the “social desirability” of responses; 3. Satisfaction depends on the level of ambition, which varies from culture to culture; 4. Satisfaction also depends on the level of confidence in reaching your ambition (also different from culture to culture). Ambition also changes with age: that might explain the average curve…
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Fernando. I happen to agree with your research “biases.” Your comment reminded me of the findings of another researcher that I shared in the post here http://davidkanigan.com/2012/02/04/30-lessons-for-living-profound/.
I’d say that’s about right…..especially in our household.
Reblogged this on Carlo Favaretti.
SO interesting. Wow. I just hit 42, so here’s to a fabulously fun roller coaster ride ahead! YAY! I’m ready. 🙂
Yes. You have the best years ahead…and just cleared the trough. 🙂
I am liking this…a whole heck of a lot! I am looking forward to proving this theory correct. Thanks David…things are looking better already, and will head into my next birthday with a whole new outlook 🙂
We’re all liking this Bonnie! 🙂
Ha! Well, good thing!
🙂
Many of the finest women i have known have died at 39 and many of the finest men at 53…I am not sure what this says about us old farts but perhaps that is all we are
Sad about your losses. But I’m confident you, David, are so much bigger than what is suggested. 🙂