Middle-aged adults who adopt an attitude of joyful acceptance toward all of life’s experiences—both good and bad—enjoy better mental health, particularly when they feel socially connected, a new University of Michigan study suggests.
The research, published in The Humanistic Psychologist, centers on the concept of amor fati, a Latin phrase proclaimed by Friedrich Nietzsche more than 100 years ago meaning “love of one’s fate.” It suggests that people who embrace amor fati are more likely to flourish and less likely to languish in midlife.
The study, led by U-M psychologist Edward Chang, surveyed 111 Americans ages 35 to 60 to explore how amor fati relates to mental health, social connectedness and loneliness.
“Amor fati isn’t about passive acceptance,” said Chang, professor of psychology. “It’s a joyful, deliberate engagement with everything life throws at you, including suffering. My findings suggest this mindset can play a powerful role in helping middle-aged adults thrive.”
