Happiness is a Smile

The Daily Habit For Doers

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.

- Franklin D. Roosevelt 

What if your unhappiness was normal? 

What if it was just a part of the journey of life — and the canvas it’s painted upon? 

In this short video, Scott Galloway explains how, when researchers look at the correlation between age and happiness, a smile emerges…

“The correlation between age and happiness is a smile. So 0 to 25 is beer, Star Wars, making out, Prom, college Football… 0 to 25 is usually pretty happy. 

25 to 45 is what I call the ‘shit gets real’ years. You have kids. You have economic stress. Someone you love a great deal gets sick and dies: your parents. Life gets very hard very fast. And generally speaking, these are the least happy years.

And then something wonderful happens usually in your late 40s or early 50s; and that is you start recognizing the finite nature of life, maybe you have economic security, maybe you have established relationships. You realize that life is short. And the happiest age cohort should be the least happy because they’re not healthy is old people.

So the learning here is that if you wake up at 35 and you have a couple of kids and you have a spouse and you have a job and you think, ‘Shit. This is hard. I’m not that happy.’ Recognize that’s part of the journey and just keep on keeping on. You know, happiness waits for you… 

I think it’s helpful just to know that as you move into your income earning years, as we move into our mating and child rearing years, it’s stressful. And it’s hard. And if you’re unhappy or feel unhappy at times, that’s normal. That’s part of the journey.”

Here’s a graph of the data he’s referring to…

(Image Source)

Life is hard. 

And while it might not be hard for all of us at the same time, we can take comfort in the fact that it’s hard for all of us, sometimes. 

More importantly, suffering is normal. 

It’s part of the journey. 

And if you’re in a hard season, keep on keeping on.

If you’re in a good season, enjoy it for what it’s worth. 

Either way, the path curves up ahead.

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