The Happiness Curve: Why Life Gets Better After 50

Why does happiness tend to get harder in your 40s? Why do you feel in a slump when you’re successful? Where does this malaise come from, regardless of your gender, race, class or nationality? And, most importantly, will it ever end?

Drawing on cutting-edge research and dozens of stories about a diverse set of people, award-winning journalist Jonathan Rauch answers all these questions. He shows that from our 20s into our 40s, happiness follows a U-shaped trajectory, declining from the optimism of youth into what’s often a long, low slump in middle age, before starting to rise again in our 50s―and then yielding unexpected contentment and wisdom.

Dismissing the popular myth of the midlife crisis, Rauch shows that the “happiness curve” does not usually indicate a period of disruption or dysfunction. Nor is it the result of bad personal choices or lack of gratitude. He reveals that the slump is completely natural, serving a vital psychological and social purpose. By shifting priorities away from competition and toward compassion, it equips you with new tools for wisdom and gratitude. You’ll develop new values and see a change in who you are.

Não-ficção / Psicologia