Why It Pays To Be Happy

- Lisa Fields

A MAJOR HEALTH SCARE WAS JUST WHAT 48-YEAR-OLD Kaye Newton needed to kickstart her transformation into a happier person. Before her illness, Newton, an author who lives in Nashville, was a self-described hypochondriac, always worrying about what pitfalls might be lurking in her future. But once she faced actual adversity, she learned how to change her perspective.

“Surgery helped me realize that worrying about my health doesn’t protect me from illness or prepare me for an operation,” Newton says. “I worry less now. I’m happier, and I consciously pay more attention  to what is going on right now.” Her book, Incision Decisions, deals with remaining positive after surgery.

The longer you live, the more likely you are to become a happier person. Countless research studies have shown that over a person’s lifespan, happiness inhabits a U-shaped curve: We’re happiest during childhood and old age. During early adulthood, happiness levels steadily decrease, bottoming out in our mid-40s. By age 50, our happiness levels are on the rise once again.

The dip on the happiness curve is understandable, given the stress and significant life changes that take place during our 20s, 30s, and 40s: Working long hours. Establishing a career. Getting married. Raising small children. Socking away money for the future.

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.