I’m in my third act, and much of my second act was exactly as you describe. Importantly, so much of the second act is acting unconsciously, refining the coping mechanisms that get us through the day, all the while our monkey brain keeps telling us how inadequate we are. Of course, we keep getting that message reinforced all day, every day at work and even at home. Or, we create a fantasy world in which we are damn near perfect and everyone else sucks, which in itself is a coping mechanism.

The key to creating the positive inflection of the curve is to gain understanding of our limiting beliefs, their origins, and their inherent fallacy. That leads to self forgiveness and compassion, which leads to gratitude, acceptance, peace, and joy. Those are the essential elements to create the upward inflection of the happiness curve.