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Winston Churchill once said, "At twenty, I cared what everyone thought about me. At forty, I stopped caring what everyone thought about me. At sixty, I realized nobody was ever thinking about me in the first place."

So often, the advice our elders give us begin with “If I could do it over again,” or, “I wish I had been more ___ when I was younger”. This week’s piece gives us a chance tor draw upon seven key pieces of advice from people who are finding their seventies to be their most enjoyable decade yet. By following the piece's seven guidelines, we are reminded that we can choose to live more unburdened, joyful lives now, rather than later.

Happy reading!

"7 Things People who are Happy in their 70s Stopped Caring About a Long Time Ago"
_{by Jordan Cooper for VegOut}

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Through conversations with dozens of individuals who have found peace and fulfillment in their later years, seven common themes emerge. From them, we get a set of common worries & behaviors to avoid in order to live a happier life. These include:

• Striving to impress people you don't actually like: Free yourself from the pursuit of admiration. Do not waste energy trying to be the funniest or smartest person in the room. One man said, “In your 20s, you try to be impressive. In your 70s, you just try to be understood.”
  

• Wanting to be right all the time: Do not think that wisdom comes from having all of the answers, and let go of that maddeningly tight grip on correctness that can weigh you down. Far too much emotion can be thrown into needing others to admit we are right.
  

• Trying to look"put together" all the time: This is not to instruct you to begin dressing like a slob, but forget the idea that looking great makes you a great person. Gain confidence from more human and meaningful traits than your appearance.
  

• Always keeping score: Elevate your thoughts above petty concerns. Do not spend time worrying about who or who did not remember your birthday, or give your social media post a like. This is not apathy– it is grace. The sooner you stop worrying about the little interpersonal disconnects, the more whole you will feel.
  

• Working to meet outdated expectations: Living for someone else’s expectations will inevitably drain you. Do not feel guilty about saying no; don’t frustrate yourself by suppressing your emotions to spare those of others. Give yourself the space to define success on your own terms– not anyone else’s.

• Trying to fix everyone: Happy older people don’t give advice unless you ask for it. They don’t rush to offer unsolicited help, because they’ve learned how exhausting it is to carry responsibility for the happiness of everyone else. Instead, they encourage and support.
  

• Refusing to change: Do not cling to a single identity- allow yourself to let new learning and experience change you. Happiness isn’t about holding tightly to who you were. It’s about the process of improving, growing, and becoming.

People happy in their 70s are not free from life’s difficulties—they've simply learned to avoid unnecessary investment of energy. They’ve let go of performative roles and forgotten outdated external expectations that no longer serve them. They’ve made peace with the fact that life will always present frustrations, desires, or anxieties– and lived happier lives as a result.

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So tell us: What is the single best piece of advice you’ve received from an elder in your life?

Thank you,

The MAP Team

MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors | A Member of Advisory Services Network, LLC
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Los Angeles, CA 90064
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