8 Retirement Habits That Lead To Happiness

When you get to retirement age, the population splits. Half keeps getting happier and the other half declines sharply. This is based on the longest running study on human happiness ever conducted. Over 90 years of scientific data from Harvard University's study of adult development attract the same people from teenagers to old age. And the research was published by Dr. George Valent. But more recently, Arthur Brooks started teaching these principles at Harvard Business School. So what I'm going to teach today or share with you today is the seven research-backed habits that separate people who thrive in their later years in retirement from those who struggle. And here's what I've learned working with hundreds of pre-retirees and retirees at Streamlined Financial. It's never too late to start, but it's also never too early. I'll break down the seven habits into the three fulfillment habits and then the four foundational habits. Some of these might be reminders to you. Some might be new, but all of them are important for your happiness in retirement. So let's get into it. Habit number one is practice active coping because older adults, they don't have fewer problems even though their work might be done, but they do have better coping skills because life is hard at every age. Because it could be really challenging, especially as we age, because there's more health issues. There's loss of loved ones. There's changes in identity after retirement. These are real challenges that require real life skills to manage. The research shows that people in the happy and well category all have their own technique. Some are excellent at therapy. Others are skilled at meditation. Some have a deep prayer practice. Others journal regularly. The key word there was skilled. They've gotten good at the coping method through practice and consistency. So it's never easy when you start, but through practice, it gets better and better. One of my favorite easy methods related to this is at the end of the day, just writing down three simple wins of the day. It could be the smallest thing. Like you enjoyed a cup of coffee this morning, sitting outside and looking at the leaves on the tree. The next habit, this might be the most underestimated habit on the list, and that's to keep learning because the research is clear. People who stop learning in early adulthood are much more likely to be in the sad and sick category later in life. That's from the study. But here's what's exciting. Learning gives you an intense positive emotion. Interest is actually classified as a basic positive emotion because we're wired to feel good when we learn new things. For people older than 55, for that generation, this is particularly relevant because we've got access to learning opportunities that our parents never even dreamed of. You know, it could be YouTube, university, online courses or audio books or podcasts. Really the world of knowledge is at our fingertips. So we've got many clients that streamline who take up a brand new interest in retirement that they've never done before, but it's always been in the back of their mind. Maybe not always, but recently. So they try it out. They're not doing anything to impress anyone. They're really just doing it because it makes them feel more alive. The next habit is a big one. When Dr. George Valent was asked to summarize the whole 90 years of research in just a few words, he said, happiness is love. Full stop. So the habit is prioritize love relationships. You're not going to be in the happy category at 70, 80 or 90 if you don't have real love relationships and you're not going to develop them most likely when you're 90. The research shows you need one of two things, either a stable long-term happy marriage or deep real friendships. Ideally both, but at least one. And Arthur Brooks writes about the difference between real friends and deal friends. Deal friends are transactional. Maybe it's more work-related things, work or activities or conveniences. And then real friends, they love you for who you are, not what you can do for them. Now, Arthur Brooks actually added one more fulfillment habit that wasn't part of the original 90-year Harvard study. And I'll share that powerful addition with you in just a minute. But first, I wanted to walk through the rest of the actual study and what it revealed. And before I get into it, the last few habits, I'd love to know if you're liking this video so far by clicking the like button. And as you think about these habits, let me know in the comments, which ones are you doing well or which ones do you want to work on? I'd love to know. So these next four are the foundational four. And I don't want it to seem like I'm telling you what to do. This is just what the study showed. And the first habit was don't smoke. And it might seem obvious if you're a lifelong smoker though, you have 70% chance of dying from smoking-related illnesses. And more importantly for our discussion, smoking-related illnesses don't just shorten life, they actually destroy the quality of life. So it's that difference between lifespan, from when you're born to when you die, to what's the health span? What's the year of healthy years that you have? Smoking can really hurt this. Habit two is be careful with substances. And this is particularly relevant for 55 plus, that generation, because they grew up getting recommended that a glass of wine or two was good for us. And the latest research shows otherwise. Here's what the Harvard study found. People in the happy and well category in their 70s and 80s were extremely conscious about the relationship with alcohol and other substances. They weren't necessarily abstinent, but they were just intentional. And the key question is, how much is too much? Or am I using this to enhance my life or to escape from it? And I have heard from a few clients that when retirement happened, there was a period of some boredom for a year if they didn't know what their next thing was. And they noticed that alcohol started moving up earlier and earlier into the day. And they just had to be aware of that just so it didn't get too early. So let's move on to habit number three, and that's just maintain a proper diet. And it's not being skiddy or looking like you're in your 30s. The research shows that the happiest older adults maintain just stable, healthy weight without yo-yo dieting. And the goal isn't for, it's not perfection. It's just consistency and health. And then habit four is prioritize movement. The research shows that movement doesn't have to be intense exercise. And really the simplest one for older adults is just walking. I love this because it's accessible to everyone. You don't need a gym membership or equipment or anything. One of my favorite clients, they started walking for 30 minutes a day and they used it as think time in the morning. They used it as prayer time in the morning and really just a good transition to start the day. And that kind of seems what shows what the research shows, which is movement becomes a foundation for everything else. But now let's get into that eighth habit that Arthur Brooks found. And then I'll share the retirement connection. So the thing he found that wasn't in the original study was prioritizing spiritual or philosophical life. And in my experience with retirees, this might be the most crucial one because retirement often triggers an identity crisis. For decades, you were defined by your work and then suddenly that's gone. So who are you now? What's your purpose now? What's your contribution to the world? The people that I've seen truly thrive in retirement all have something bigger than themselves that gives their life meaning. For some, it's religious faith. For others, it's philosophy about living a good life or serving others or leaving a legacy. Having an answer to what makes life worth living beyond my own comfort, that's a good question to think about. And this becomes your north star when you're facing health challenges too, or loss or life's chaos. What gives your life meaning and what do you believe matters most? These are just philosophical questions. They're practical tools for retirement that gets better with age. Now, let me connect this to specifically to retirement planning because that's what many of you are thinking about right now. And most retirement planning focuses only on the financial side. And that's important. But if you have enough money, you've got all that you need, but you're in the sad and sick category at age 75, that's not a good retirement. What if you can afford to do all the things that you wanna do, but your health or your relationships or your coping skills don't allow you to actually enjoy it? These habits that we went over are your insurance policy for a retirement that's not just financially secure, but genuinely fulfilling. I've seen too many people who have saved diligently for 30 years and then they reach their financial goals, but then they realize they neglected everything else. So don't let that be you. If this was helpful, please click the like button so that I know, or leave a comment on which one of the eight habits resonates the most with you. And also, if you wanna dive deeper into retirement planning that goes beyond just the financial side, check out these videos here. Take care.