Reader's Digest

60 | July• 2018

WHY IT PAYS TO BE HAPPY

“Surgery helped me realise that
worryingaboutmyhealthdoesn’t
protect me from illness or prepare
me for an operation” Newton says.
“Iworrylessnow.I’mhappierand
I consciously pay more attention to
whatisgoingonrightnow.”
helongeryoulivethemorelikely
youaretobecomeahappierperson.
Countless research studies have
shownthatoveraperson’slifespan
happiness inhabits a U-shaped
curve: we’re happiest during child-
hood and old age. In early adulthood
happiness levels steadily decrease
bottomingoutinourmid-40s.By
age 50 our happiness levels are on
the rise again.

hehappinesscurvedipisunder-
standable given the stress and life
changesthattakeplaceduringour
20s30sand40s:Workinglonghours.
Establishing a career. Getting mar-
ried. Raising small children. Socking
awaymoneyforthefuture.
But what about the boost on the
happiness curve? After living life for

45 or 50 years the experience that

we’ve gained helps us to put things in

perspective.

“By the time we have lived six dec-

ades or more most have seen that

life has as many downs as ups” says

sociology professor Lisa F. Carver.

“The optimism of youth which can

think success in life is inevitable is

replaced by the reality that things

aren’t always good. However there is

also the understanding that good can

come from bad.”

Learningtoputlifeeventsinper-

spectivecanhelpyoubecomehap-

pier as you age. And it pays to be

happy.You’llseebenefitsinyour

relationships work health attitude

andotheraspectsofyour life.

HAPPINESS &

RELATIONSHIPS

Do you have friends or relatives in

whom you can confide? If you do

you’re automatically happier than

people who have no one to turn to for

advice or companionship.

“Satisfaction with relationships is

the strongest predictor of happiness

we have” says Meik Wiking CEO of

the Happiness Research Institute in

Denmark. “It comes up in happiness

data all the time.”

Research shows that people who

are married or who live with their

partners tend to be happier than unat-

tached people simply because they’re

less likely to be lonely.

“People who have someone to count

LEARNING TO PUT

life events in

perspectiveCAN

HELP YOU BECOME

HAPPIER AS YOU AGE