This is fascinating to me. I’m not going to say that I’m a lot happier at 50 than I was at 47, but it’s certainly a measurable difference, and I’m optimistic that it’s trending in a good direction. Apparently SCIENCE agrees with me.
Interesting, too, is the established advice for minimizing the 47.2 year-old Valley of Despair. Namely:
- Have some close friends
- Compare yourself to yourself, not others
- Help others
- Be grateful
That’s it! I think, for me, gratitude is the hardest sell. Not that I’m not grateful — I’m just not in the habit of expressing it regularly. Maybe I should add it to the list. The research (SCIENCE) suggests that writing down five things you’re grateful for once per week increased happiness by 25% after 10 weeks. Twenty-five percent is a lot, kids. I’m getting started on this tonight.