Dear Friends -
Some weeks call for a fresh angle on happiness. Arthur C. Brooks’ latest Atlantic column flipped a switch for me: instead of chasing “more happy,” he focuses on “less unhappy.” It is a subtle shift with outsized impact, especially in our third act. When we hit our 40s, 50s, and beyond, we have more agency, more self-knowledge, and more freedom to redesign our days. Yet many of us forget to be intentional about it.
Brooks lays out a six-part morning protocol to dial down negative mood. Think of it as a steady lever you can pull, not a magic pill. If you are playing along with our September Reset theme, this is your perfect next step: small, testable actions that accumulate into a new baseline.
The “Less-Unhappy” Morning, Adapted for Act Three
Below is Brooks’ approach, with a few Act Three tweaks. Start with one or two, track how you feel for seven days, then adjust.
Start earlier than you think. Get up early enough to greet daylight. Morning light helps set your circadian rhythm and can lift mood. If 4:30 a.m. is not your move, try waking 30–60 minutes earlier than usual and step outside for 5–10 minutes of natural light.
Move your body. Short strength plus zone-2 cardio is a powerful mood stabilizer. Keep it simple: 20 minutes of bodyweight strength, 20 minutes brisk walking or cycling. Save intense evening sessions for another time since late workouts can disrupt sleep.
Quiet your mind. Prayer or meditation lowers negative affect and supports emotional self-management. Even 10 minutes counts. Pick a format you will actually do.
Delay caffeine. Coffee blocks adenosine receptors and tends to reduce negative affect, but waiting 60–120 minutes after waking can prevent the early-afternoon crash. Try water first, coffee later.
Front-load protein. A protein-rich first meal can promote calm via tryptophan’s effect on serotonin. Greek yogurt, whey, nuts, berries is Brooks’ go-to. Aim for protein again at midday.
Protect a flow block. Guard your morning for deep, meaningful work. Fewer meetings, more making. Flow increases positive mood and reduces negative mood. If you run a business, use this time for your highest contribution task.
Want to personalize it?
Brooks uses the PANAS framework to sort your affect profile into four types: Cheerleader, Poet, Judge, or Mad Scientist. Take the short quiz (the same one embedded in his column) and use your result to decide whether to prioritize “more happy,” “less unhappy,” or both. Take the PANAS quiz →
Why this matters for a September Reset
Resets are not about performing perfection. They are about creating a system that lowers friction so your best self shows up more often. This protocol is system thinking for mood. As we age, stakes rise on energy, focus, and consistency. A quieter nervous system in the morning pays compounding dividends in the afternoon when life gets loud.
The Act Three Advantage: More Choice Than Ever
One of the overlooked gifts of midlife is choice. In our 20s and 30s, much of life feels scripted — building a career, raising a family, chasing milestones. By the time we reach our third act, the script loosens. We finally get to decide: Which habits, people, and pursuits are worth keeping? Which are overdue for pruning?
Brooks reminds us that lowering unhappiness is often more impactful than piling on new pleasures. The same is true in this stage of life: subtracting what drains us can be as powerful as adding what delights us.
Here are three areas worth examining in your own September Reset:
Energy — Which habits or routines consistently leave you feeling depleted? Could you trade one draining commitment for something restorative?
People — Which relationships lift you higher, and which ones weigh you down? Midlife is the perfect time to double down on the former and create boundaries with the latter.
Purpose — Which projects align with who you are now, not who you were ten years ago? Letting go of outdated goals makes room for new sources of meaning.
💡 Try This: The Subtract / Add List
Draw two columns on a sheet of paper. Label one Subtract and the other Add.
Under Subtract, list three habits, relationships, or obligations that create friction or unhappiness.
Under Add, list three habits, connections, or projects that spark energy or meaning.
Pick one from each column to act on this month. Small, intentional moves compound into a freer, more fulfilling third act.
🤖 AI Journaling Prompt
Copy and paste this into ChatGPT (or your favorite AI tool):
"Help me expand my Subtract/Add list for my third act. Here’s what I have so far:
Subtract: [list your items]
Add: [list your items]
Ask me reflective questions about each item so I can clarify why it matters, what might get in the way, and what first step I can take. Then, suggest 2–3 journaling prompts I can use this week to deepen my thinking."
Happiness is not a finish line. It is a daily protocol. In Act Three we are allowed to change the script. Use September to tune your mornings, reduce friction, and build the life you want with fewer headwinds and more lift. If you try the prompt above, hit reply and tell me what shifted for you.
Cara Gray
Third Act Consultant, CPRC, CEPA™️
P.S.S. If you want to start planning your third act, set up a time on my calendar for a chat: Schedule a Chat with Cara