Prof Hannah Fry: Why we shouldn't expect our 20s to be the best years of our lives
The pressure to make the most of our youth can be stifling. But research shows that happiness doesn't peak in our 20s, but later in life.
Professor Hannah Fry, who is in her late 30s, says she is happier now than she was in her 20s.
In my 20s, everyone else was off having the time of their lives. They were traveling the world, starting businesses, and falling in love. I, on the other hand, was slogging away in graduate school, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life.
I felt like I was missing out on all the fun. I was convinced that my 20s were supposed to be the best years of my life, and I was wasting them.
But then I realized something: I'm not alone. In fact, research shows that happiness doesn't peak in our 20s, but later in life.
A study by the University of Southern California found that people's happiness levels tend to increase steadily from their 20s to their 50s. The study also found that people who are happier in their 20s are not necessarily happier in their later years.
So what does this mean for you? It means that you don't need to feel like you're missing out if you're not having the time of your life in your 20s. You have plenty of time to find happiness, and it may not come in the form you expect.
In fact, your 20s can be a time of great growth and learning. You're figuring out who you are and what you want to do with your life. You're making mistakes and learning from them. You're building relationships that will last a lifetime.
So don't worry if you're not having the time of your life in your 20s. Enjoy the journey, and the happiness will come.
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