Dr. Seuss and the U-curve

From Arthur Brooks's "Managing Happiness" MOOC:

"Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

...You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights.

You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed! You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be the best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don’t. Because, sometimes, you won't.

I’m sorry to say but, sadly, it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch. You’ll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump, you’re not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done."

—Oh, The Places You'll Go

It turns out that Dr. Seuss was basically right for most of us. While not sudden or dramatic, there is a happiness decline that most people see in mid-life. How we prepare for and manage that period has a significant impact on our happiness. And the good news is, there’s a lot we can do to make that period better and significantly improve our lives...