People In Their 50s And 60s Who Feel Happiest Without Overthinking It Tend To Do These 2 Things
Ivan Moreno sl | Canva All humans have one common goal in life: To achieve complete happiness. Many ancient Greek philosophers famously contemplated the key to happiness. Socrates, for example, said, "The secret to happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less."
This adage has definitely stood the test of time, even in our modern, capitalist world. Many believe that happiness comes from rewards earned from our successes. We fill our lives with an abundance of monetary wealth and expensive objects (cars, houses, jewelry, etc.).
But honestly, as cliché as it sounds, money can't buy you happiness. According to a collaborative global study released in 2011, researchers found that 30 percent of the population in some of the wealthiest nations (with the U.S. near the top of that list) suffer from depression.
What's the real key to happiness, you ask? Author and host Charles J. Orlando, author Dr. John Gray, life coach and speaker Cara Cordoni, licensed psychotherapist and bioenergetic analyst Leah Benson, and counselor and therapist Atul Kumar Mehra discussed the true ways to gain happiness.
People in their 50s and 60s who feel happiest without overthinking it tend to do these 2 things
1. The happiest people in their 50s and 60s find meaning in their lives
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The first step to happiness is finding meaning in every aspect of your life. Everything from close relationships to your career has meaning. Seek out people worth relating to and loving.
In his book The Problem with Women... is Men, Charles J. Orlando writes that "life is growth" and that you can either choose the direction you grow or simply stagnate. That idea applies directly to happiness, too, since people who are actively building something meaningful tend to thrive in ways that those just going through the motions simply don't.
Set a career path that makes a profound impact on your life as well as the lives of others. Creating and maintaining aspects of substantial value in your life will make you happy in a meaningful life worth living.
A Harvard study found that older adults with a strong sense of purpose were not only happier but also more likely to take care of their health in meaningful ways. Knowing why you get up in the morning makes a bigger difference to your wellbeing than most people realize.
2. The happiest people in their 50s and 60s are comfortable in their own skin
Don't be so judgmental and nitpicky about your natural emotions and your body. Love who you are, and know that any struggles you face will end. Know that you have the intelligence and confidence to overcome those struggles. Know that sadness, frustration, and stress are not permanent.
People who treat themselves with kindness instead of harsh judgment consistently report higher levels of happiness, optimism, and life satisfaction, research has found. Basically, the less you beat yourself up for having bad days or big feelings, the better you tend to feel overall.
Leah Benson further explains that happiness involves "being able to have a range of feelings — happiness, joy, anger, confusion, sadness, fear, rage. The foundations to being able to be happy are that whatever the feeling is that you're having, you are okay with that, and you won't judge yourself for it. All the passing feelings sum up to you feeling good in your body and yourself."
Melanie Gorman, MA, is a writer and business coach who holds a Masters degree in counseling psychology.
