So, you’d like to be 20 all over again? Seriously?
If you’re 40+ and have been harping about it for the past couple of years, you may be in the “midlife dip”. Midlife dip? The expression refers to the U-shaped happiness-age curve, postulating that levels of contentment with life are at their lowest during middle age, often leading to the infamous midlife crisis.
Conversely, this, of course, means that younger and older people are statistically happier…
But wait, let’s attempt a thought experiment: you meet a fairy (or a djinn) who offers you a fresh (re-)start. You are then suddenly whooshed back into your twenty-something body. Perhaps you have just finished vocational training and are looking for your first job. Alternately, you are enjoying student life or maybe even a work-and-travel stint in an exotic setting. Exciting prospects, no doubt…
But are you that anxious to re-experience the first hangover, the first heartbreak, the first narcissistic boss, the first money challenges – in short – all the painful yet unavoidable mistakes and bitter disappointments characteristic of youth? Do you remember the doomsday moods when your body refused to co-operate? You know, the bad-hair, bad-skin, bad-figure days that made your self-confidence plummet before a job interview or a party? Do you remember the struggles to assert yourself and your newfound sense of identity at work or with friends and family?
Hmm, let’s have a look at the other side of the spectrum: the djinn now offers you a fast-forward to 60. You shake your head in disbelief: the little guy must be crazy… Why would I ever want to fast-forward to old(er) age?!?
In a moment of insanity, you accept the dodgy deal. Whoosh, you go again – this time in a body marked by the passing of time. Your face is lined, your hair has greyed, your figure has become heavier. And there are all these little aches and pains that surface in the course of the day. Who would want THAT? You are damn right: nobody!
But then you realise that maybe life isn’t too bad after all. You no longer have to prove yourself at work with 60-hour weeks: either you’ve had a career or given up on it for good reasons. You’re no longer (quite so) stuck in family mode. Indeed, your kids (if you have any) are well on their way towards independence. And, if you’re lucky, your parents are not yet completely dependent on your care. But even more importantly, by that age, you are usually well acquainted and maybe even reconciled with yourself. With the good, the bad, and perhaps even the ugly…
A pimple or rebellious bangs will not set a negative tone for the day. No longer do you fret for weeks about your colleague’s bad mood, a squabble with your sister or a delayed project. You’ve learned to pick your battles. And now, you may have time to live in the moment, and smell the proverbial roses… Whether they come in the shape of a culinary holiday in Sicily, a hike with friends, or, even more simply, a nice cup of tea with a long-lost acquaintance.
So, dear longevity fans, please remember: next time you want to beam (or work) yourself back into your youthful body – which is perfectly understandable, by the way – don’t forget to bring along a 60-year-old mindset. Or at least a few traits of it… We would suggest self-knowledge and -acceptance, the resilience and equanimity born of life experience and, even more crucially, the ability to not take things (or yourself) too seriously. This might make all the difference to your longevity journey!
++++
Further reading
Heid, Markham, “Why We Should All Adopt a 60-Year-Old’s Mindset.” Medium, July 1st, 2024. Online: https://medium.com/the-nuance/why-we-should-all-adopt-a-60-year-old-mindset-2fca44ebbdd5
Blanchflower DG, Graham CL. "The Mid-Life Dip in Well-Being: a Critique". Soc Indic Res. 2022;161(1):287-344. doi:10.1007/s11205-021-02773-w. Epub 2021 Oct 19. PMID: 34690403; PMCID:PMC8525618. Online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-021-02773-w
Illustration
RDNE Studio / pexels
Back to all posts
