People Who Stay 'Genuinely Joyful' in Their 50s and Beyond Usually Adopt These 8 Habits, Psychologists Say

For every decade of your life, there are positive and negative experiences that the majority of others live through as well. For example, while one’s 20s might be a time of fun and excitement, it’s also a period of unpredictability as your career gets its footing and you move from apartment to apartment, or even relationship to relationship.

While your 50s are also not immune to upheaval, there are those in their 50s who seem to be “genuinely joyful,” through the midst of good and bad times. These are the people who adopt a set of habits that bring them this level of joy, and we asked psychologists what they are and how you can weave them into your own life.

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The Positives and Negatives of Your 50s

There are plenty of pros to mark off if you’ve reached your 50s. As licensed clinical psychologist Roger Miller, Ph.D. says, by your 50s, you are more likely to be financially stable and established in your career . You are still young enough to be relatively healthy physically and cognitively. Your children may be grown, and the stress of parenting is behind you and there is now more free time for personal pursuits.

“You are also more likely at this stage to feel more secure in who you are,” he adds.

But as licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Gilly Kahn describes, statistically, happiness levels tend to follow a U-shaped curve, “such that people tend to be very happy in their teens and in early adulthood, but then happiness levels decrease and dip around age 50.” Happiness is generally not stable with increasing age, as Dr. Kahn points out.

But here’s the good news: Dr. Kahn says that at 50 years old, the trend starts to gradually increase, and people become happier once again. “And this continues into old age,” Dr. Kahn says.

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Leading up to turning 50 and for that year (or shortly thereafter), what can make this period of life difficult for people? As Dr. Miller notes, this is the time when you might first notice the effects of aging (or, more specifically, notice the beginnings of age-related health conditions) and begin thinking about your mortality. He also says that this is an age where you might lose your parents. And children being grown may lead to distress around an empty nest .

And then for women in their late 40s and early 50s, things can be challenging due to perimenopause and menopause .

“Suddenly, female brains and bodies are functioning differently. We start to look different and we start to feel different,” Dr. Kahn says. “There is nothing easy about that.”

As a period of change for many, it might feel more difficult than ever before to experience genuine joy. That’s why certain beneficial habits can help nudge you toward true happiness, whether you currently find yourself in your 50s or simply a time in your life when you want to feel more joy.

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What It Means To Be ‘Genuinely Joyful’

“Being genuinely joyful is beyond being happy or enjoying things you do, but a deep sense of contentment with who you are, what you have and with meaningful and fulfilling relationships with others,” Dr. Miller says.

Dr. Kahn defines genuine joy as “feeling fulfilled,” and it’s not about finally reaching that elusive highest-possible point of happiness.

“We need to stop focusing on reaching the ‘peak’ of happiness, because ‘happiness’ is arguably a vague state of being,” she says. “At what point is someone truly happy? Happiness may be better conceptualized on a continuum rather than as a binary variable (happy/not happy).” Instead, she says that living a fulfilling, meaningful life seems more tangible, even if you’re not at “peak happiness.” This is a much more authentic, and more genuine, form of joy that can be experienced in one’s daily life.

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Dr. Miller also shares that finding and creating joy and happiness not only feels good but also boosts our health.

“It lowers cortisol [the stress hormone], improves sleep , bolsters our immune system , leads to healthier behaviors and life choices and decreases your risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease ,” he says.

And by the way—being genuinely joyful doesn’t mean that you’ll never be in a bad mood or go through tough times. It means that even during those negative experiences, you’ll still be able to spot glimmers of joy, even if you don’t feel that way 24 hours a day.

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8 Habits of 'Genuinely Joyful' People 50+, According to Psychologists

1. They Practice Gratitude

Gratitude can be a big part of increasing overall happiness, as research has shown, and it’s something that generally adds to the genuine joy that those in their 50s can experience.

To harness gratitude’s effects, Dr. Miller recommends taking time every day to be thankful for what you have and to acknowledge your blessings.

2. They Aren’t Afraid to Make Life Changes

While you may feel settled and secure in your 50s, and be content with the status quo, making life changes can pay off when it comes to your happiness.

“Don’t be afraid to quit your job and make a life change, even if it seems impossible,” says Dr. Kahn.

And this doesn’t necessarily mean you should go quit your job. Dr. Kahn clarifies this by saying that money isn’t universally a “good-enough” reason to stay in the same job, especially if it isn’t fulfilling.

“Sometimes you just need to follow your gut. Sometimes you need to trust your intuition , especially if it has been sending you messages for a long time,” she explains. Although it may feel scary, something like moving on from an unrewarding job and taking a job that makes you feel fulfilled every day can result in genuine joy.

3. They Stay Connected to Others

Studies have shown that loneliness can understandably make people feel less happy, so to boost genuine joy in your 50s, Dr. Miller advises staying connected to others and building fulfilling relationships.

4. They Find Purpose

Those who are genuinely joyful in their 50s likely don’t fixate on their finances. Instead, they find purpose and meaning through certain activities, volunteer work or learning through classes or other outlets. And the trick is to find purpose through more than one venture.

Dr. Kahn says, “Engage in meaningful activities, and don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Your life shouldn’t be all about your finance position, or really any one thing going on in your life. Add more ‘eggs’ to your basket, because you never know whether those other ‘eggs’ (or activities) will lend to your social, emotional or even professional growth in some way.”

5. They Connect With Their Inner Child

Dr. Miller says that those who are genuinely joyful in their 50s have the ability to connect with their inner child , or that part of the subconscious that retains those emotions and experiences from childhood. An inner child embraces things like wonder and playfulness, and this can result in authentic joy, especially if you’re no longer a child.

“Stay connected to your inner child,” Dr. Miller says. “Find ways to play, smile and laugh every day, and be curious.”

6. They Set Goals

Those who have harnessed genuine joy in their 50s have made up their minds to never stop growing in life, and part of that is setting specific,  realistic goals , as Dr. Khan says.

“To never stop growing, learning and giving to others, we need to be realistic, specific and patient,” she suggests. “Set specific goals based on your values and commit to them by identifying potential obstacles ahead of time.”

7. They Practice Healthy Habits

Dr. Miller details that things like exercising regularly , sticking to a healthy diet , getting plenty of sleep , and managing your stress can lend themselves to your overall wellbeing and happiness, whether you’re in your 50s or not.

8. They Live in the Present

In your 50s, while it’s all too easy to let your mind drift to uncertainty or challenges you may face in the future, those who are genuinely joyful are all about living in the present.

“Notice the present moment and accept that, at a certain level, your brain and body are on your side. There is no point in doing things that make you feel whole or genuinely joyful if you are constantly distracted while doing those things, so practice mindfulness in those moments,” Dr. Khan recommends. “Use your senses to really pull yourself into those moments and fully participate in them.”

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Sources

• Roger Miller, Ph.D., licensed clinical psychologist

• Dr. Gilly Kahn, licensed clinical psychologist

• UC Berkeley Berkeley Scientific Journal : “The Science of Happiness”

• Frontiers in Sleep : “Sleep and happiness: socio-economic, population and cultural correlates of sleep duration and subjective well-being in 52 countries”

• Autoimmunity Reviews : “The immune system and happiness”

• World Happiness Report 2024 : “Supporting the Well-being of an Aging Global Population: Associations between Well-being and Dementia”

• Journal of the American Heart Association : “Well‐Being and Cardiovascular Health: Insights From the UK Biobank Study”

• Journal of Personality and Social Psychology : “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life”

• Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research : “Relationship Between Loneliness, Psychiatric Disorders and Physical Health? A Review on the Psychological Aspects of Loneliness”