SIRS Knowledge Sourse
Emotionally, The Best May Be Yet to Come
- Studies have shown that older people are more content than younger people
- as people grow older they are less likely to be possessed by their emotions; therefore, they can recoer faster from a distressing event or situation
- it isn't so much that they're happier, they just don't experience bad emotions as much, probably because of past suffering
- older people also know that life isn't forever, so they are more likely to try to live it to the fullest
- more selective about activities and relationships
- Gratefulness increases happiness, according to studies
- older people are more likely to be grateful for what they have
- People generally only think about the negative things to come later in life
- as a general rule, people, especially young people, are not good at predicting what will make them happy
- Experts still say that the general rules of being happy apply to the elderly as well- they are happier when they are socially connected, do things that make them feel useful, and experience new things
- Recognizing mortality plays a part in happiness
- Can you be content in life at a young age?
- It's kind of depressing that you realize you're going to die, so then you are happier to live life because you know it's almost over- is it possible to be happy with life without thinking about death?
- What's the difference between living contently and living happily?
I think this article on the economy and happiness might be interesting to you:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.economist.com/node/21548213?fsrc=scn/gp/wl/ar/chilledout
I agree on why older people try to live life because life doesnt last forever. My research has shown we should expierence life at a younger age to get more out of life. If we do, we will become more happy.
ReplyDeleteI love your question about the difference between living contently and living happily. What do you think the difference is? And if there is a difference, which do you think most 'older' people are living?
ReplyDeleteI think it might be impossible to live completely happily. Honestly, I think we're lucky if we manage to live contently. This is all mostly my own opinion, but I think living completely happily would be something like living in euphoria almost all the time. I'm pretty sure that's impossible and probably wouldn't be healthy. I think older people tend to be more content with their lives because they don't let the little things bother them, unlike younger people.
ReplyDelete