Well, that explains it

In yesterday's Globe and Mail, an article about "the arc of happiness": turns out that, independent of circumstances such as gender, economic status, marital status, &c., most of us are at our happiness nadir in our mid-40s. The good news is that we bounce back and describe ourselves as happier in our 50s and 60s.

Possible reasons for the dip? We come face to face with our unfulfilled dreams, and admit our personal weaknesses. Reasons for the subsequent upswing? We've come to terms with our faults and are able to celebrate our strengths.