They say that life begins at forty which I suppose makes me three-years-old. Not so, there is no getting away from the fact that I'm 43 and therefore, according to a survey carried out in Belgium, unhappy - let me explain .......
HAPPINESS FOLLOWS A U-SHAPED CURVE during a person's lifetime and middle-aged people are the unhappiest.
Satisfaction with life starts to drop as early as a person's late 20s and does not begin to recover until well past 50, says Bert van Landeghem, an economist at Maastricht University in Belgium.
While young adults are carefree and full of hope for the future and the over–50s have come to terms with the trials of life, the research indicates that those in the middle feel weighed down by the demands on them. - Stephen Adams, The Telegraph (18/04/2011)
Hmm, so I'm unhappy am I?
I don't think so. Of course, I have worries that I didn't have as a younger woman but then again in lots of ways I'm far more confident and secure in myself then I ever was.
No, I don't think I'm less happy than I was -------- more grumpy, yes but unhappy? No.
What about you, when were you most happiest? Are you less happy now?
14 comments:
Truthfully, I am dreading being 40! I have always believed that the older you grow, life becomes more stressful. Last year, when I turned 21, it was both exciting and scary for me - mostly I don't want to be a "grown-up".
LOL, I'm a teenager again if life begins at 40!! Generally speaking, I'm happy. I have my worries but overall I can deal with most of it (and try not to fret so much about the stuff I can't do anything about) so I guess I'm good :)
I don't think I'm unhappy, just a little less likely to put up with nonsense. And maybe just a smidge more grumpy.. *L*
Well, I guess that I will be born this summer. And if life gets better at fifty, it seems that I am on the uptick!
Here's to us -- Baby Traci/ys moving our way up the happiness scale!
:-)
Traci
I don't think I agree with this study. Each phase in life seems to have its troubles and worries, but overall I've been generally happy most of my life.
Interesting post. Well, I think happiness is a state of mind, no matter your age.
Confidence does seem to come with age and experience, Petty. As Donovan sang, "Happiness runs in a circular motion. . . ."
I donno... I'm just me. :) Happy some days. Not so much others. *shrugs* It's life.
More or less happy than when I was a child? *shrugs* I donno... didn't have the same experience then as I do now, so how do I compare?
Gracefully getting old..they used to say.Not an easy task.I think age is something people are afraid off.As we grow older we know our life is getting shorter, and the only fun is that it is like an unread book.Every page is unknown and like a suspense story,isnt it?
I'm hitting the downward curve there myself, but it's more circumstance than anything else. *le SIGH*
Interesting post!
I choose to be happy, no matter the age. I use to say we're getting older... not growing old.
Big hugs!
B xx
I would say the most carefree part of our life is childhood. Even during late childhood, do children be burdened with studies, projects, assignments etc. Though some find fun out of it, some really are bewildered of losing grades on taking up these projects.
And about me, the best part after childhood (or perhaps even comes before childhood) is my college days. I was carefree. Not because i didn't have duties and responsibilities, but i was good at them and was happy discharging them. Then, it is the environment which makes life happy.
I think I've been the same all along. I'm quietly happy.
A more confident life did begin at 40 and now in my 60's there is lots that I don't bother with.
Hey...we are the same age! I do feel more confident and secure now than I did earlier in life and I think that makes me more relaxed and happier.
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