The U-curve of happiness with Jeff Hamaoui

Did you know that forty-seven years old is the bottom of the Happiness U-curve of life, described as “peak unhappiness”? This doesn't mean it'll definitely occur at this age for everyone, it's the median, so it could be earlier, could be later. Why is this, exactly? One reason is because it can be “a time when we reconsider our expectations of life.” Expectations, an interesting word to reflect on.

It’s why I wanted to chat to guest Jeff Hamaoui for my new podcast series (to accompany my new book The Success Myth), who co-founded a retreat called Modern Elder Academy. It’s a place that helps people navigate midlife transitions for this very reason — because we all have dips and moments of stuckness — and it can be daunting to change up your life, no matter what age you are. As you know, I wrote about the power and wisdom of ‘modern elders’ here and firmly believe we should listen to our elders more — why wouldn’t we want to listen to the people in our life who have been through it and have so much to share?