Have you heard about the “U” shaped happiness curve? It’s the output of psychology research across ages. It suggests that people are happiest when they are younger, lose some of that happiness in middle-age, and then get it back as they get older. Here’s a plot of the curve, with the colors representing 7 different studies of happiness by age. There has been a lot … Continue reading Happiness “U”-Curve
I met up with an old friend this week on a visit to my hometown of Racine WI. He had retired four years ago and said he “wasn’t happy without something to do” and went back to work at his old job half-time. I wondered how common that feeling was among early retirees and found an online thread where people addressed the question, “Are you … Continue reading Are You Happier In Retirement?
Last night, my Mom sang in a choir concert with friends at her Senior Living Center. We missed it, as we are halfway across the country – taking a car to our FL condo. Still, the rest of our family was there and my brother shared photos of the event. It got me to reflecting on aging. Aging is an inevitable part of the human … Continue reading Recipe For Aging
A friend who bought a new boat recently quipped, “if money doesn’t make you happy you aren’t spending it right.” Until recently, scientists debated that point, claiming that happiness topped out at about $75K/year in income. That’s now changing. New research suggests that more money makes you more happy up to well over $500K/year. That’s a big difference and seems to make a lot more … Continue reading Money & Happiness Reconsidered
There are a lot of ‘checklists’ published on retirement, but I thought this one was worth a read: The Atlantic espouses ‘7 Things That Lead To Happiness in Old Age’. The advice is pretty straightforward. Nothing a kindergartener wouldn’t understand. Don’t smoke, don’t drink, maintain a healthy weight, exercise frequently, manage your stress, keep learning, and cultivate positive relationships. It’s amazing we have to be … Continue reading Positive Habits That Lead To Happiness
Last Saturday night I did something really silly – I attended the coldest NHL hockey game in league history. Our Minnesota Wild played outside at the Minnesota Twins ballpark on New Year’s Day and it was -8F at the puck drop. With wind chill, the temperature felt like a mind-numbing -24F. You might think I just got unlucky with the bad weather the day of … Continue reading Quirky Cold Night
Many people are familiar with the 2010 Princeton study that reported that there is a diminishing return to the impact of money on one’s happiness that tops out at about $75K a year. People were surprised that the threshold was very in line with the average household income in the USA at $73K. It is often cited as evidence that money doesn’t buy happiness. I … Continue reading FIRE Station Fun – Love Of Money
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