What if everything we’ve been told about ageing and happiness is wrong?
In this episode of When the F**k Did I Become Old?, we dive into the surprising science behind happiness and why life often feels hardest in midlife but better on the other side of it.
Sparked by a viral Christmas clip that racked up over 163,000 views and ignited fierce debate, our conversation moves into the World Happiness Report, the Cantril Ladder and the research behind the so-called midlife malaise.
Kev shares insights from The Happiness Curve by Jonathan Rauch, revealing why happiness follows a U-shaped curve; dipping in our 40s and 50s before rising again as we age. Together we unpack expectations, resilience, gratitude, emotional intelligence and why getting older may actually be something to look forward to.
This is an honest, funny, and deeply reassuring episode for anyone who’s ever wondered:
Is this it?
(Spoiler: no, it really isn’t.)
Key Takeaways
Timestamps
00:45 – Christmas without children & why it went viral
02:40 – Introducing the topic: happiness
03:24 – The World Happiness Report & how happiness is measured
03:58 – The Cantril Ladder explained
05:30 – Happiest and unhappiest countries in the world
06:40 – The Happiness Curve & the surprising U-shape
08:28 – Why young people are happier (and more optimistic)
09:00 – The optimism bias & unrealistic expectations
12:06 – The hedonic treadmill: chasing “more”
12:50 – Kev’s personal happiness graph experiment
16:17– Midlife malaise vs the myth of the midlife crisis
16:50 – How longer lifespans changed everything
19:46 – Divorce, redundancy & pressure in midlife
20:35 – Glass ceilings and career reality checks
22:33 – Illness, mortality & emotional turning points
24:26 – Reframing and why life feels lighter after 50
26:45 – Why comparison changes and people believe they are happier
27:38 – Gratitude, perspective & comparison traps
28:41 – Increased emotional intelligence, resilience & compassion
30:21 – “Having what you want” vs “wanting what you have”
31:57 – Encore careers & reinvention after 50
33:15 – Why ageing isn’t the disaster we were sold
📚 Resources Mentioned
Supporting organisations
