The Pursuit Of Happiness: Adulting

You can’t deny it. Your driver’s license has the date right. But you look in the mirror and go, “Really? OK, so I’ve aged, but hey, I don’t look bad. In fact, give me a couple of minutes to put myself together here, and I’ll look pretty damn good. So, how did that happen? How did I get here? Am I really this old?”

Yup, you are. But c’mon, it’s really not bad, not bad at all. In fact, being a grownup is amazing, provided you look at it from a fresher perspective. That’s why I’ve created The Happy Grownup.

For all the angst and tension now sadly infused in our society, there’s never been a better time to be an adult and not just because the hair care aisle at Walgreens offers so many ways to cover the gray. There are now more than 100 million Americans older than 50, and our demographic is growing rapidly. What’s so invigorating is how many of us have no intention of checking out and moving to Anywhere, Florida so we can spend the day playing shuffleboard. On the contrary, we’re more vibrant, engaged and eager to remain relevant and curious about what lies ahead, more desirous of having a next act, of continuing to live well. People 50+ control more than 70 percent of the disposable income in this country. We spend more than a trillion dollars on self-care alone. We’re smarter about our health, more proactive about our appearance, make up a quarter of new college students, 25 percent of new business owners and, better yet, are half of successful new business owners. Of course, it’s frustrating to realize that only 15 percent of all advertising in the US is aimed at anyone older than 35 and that marketing ‘geniuses’ are too blinded by the glare of those brandishing their new white Supreme sneakers to see us. 

But we see you. Which is why The Happy Grownup (THG) is the destination you’ve been looking, maybe even pining for, offering a platform for a satisfying adulthood—a smart, pragmatic, proven and doable way to edit your life that I’m calling “new aging.”

So, what’s new aging? It’s simple, yet completely novel. Forget cutesy taglines such as “60 is the new 40.” No, 60 is 60. But being 60 today owes little to earlier reference points from previous generations. Instead, it’s uncharted territory ready for exploration. And THG is going to be your new map with a weekly newsletter, podcast, reviews and “Halgorhythms” (savvy words to live by). And I’ve enlisted some of the most energized, brightest and most seasoned professionals to help show you the way. People including the coolest of all Sharks, Daymond John; designer Norma Kamali; former model and activist Bethann Hardison; Emmy-winning news icon Linda Ellerbee; retail visionary Mindy Grossman; beauty sorceresses Bobbi Brown & Anastasia Soare; author Steven Petrow; ASME-winning journalist Terry McDonnell; celebrity stylist Elizabeth Stewart and psychotherapist Dr. Jennifer Hartstein. 

Thanks to their generosity, wit and expertise, they’ll celebrate, stimulate and inspire you to discover the clothing labels sure to help you look good, the skin care you can trust, the workout that works, practical ways to turn that long dormant daydream into a new career, the advice you need to fall in love again, to enjoy sex again… Oh the places you’ll go, the films you’ll connect with, the foolproof, stress-free ways to entertain and the restaurants that prefer reservations, yet lack the decibel levels that make you long for the serenity of a NASCAR grandstand. 

The Happy Grownup is nostalgia-free. We look back only to go forward. Our mission is to banish the bell curve they showed you in freshman bio that plotted the trajectory of your life. Forget it. We have every intention of sustaining, even elevating the apex of that trajectory for as long as possible. So, join us. We’re finding the joy in being all grown up. We can’t imagine why you shouldn’t enjoy yourself too. TheHappyGrownup.com