The older you get, the more frenetic the pace of life seems to become. No matter where you look, social, political and economic change appears to be in overdrive, and the long periods of stability we once enjoyed are becoming increasingly short-lived. Just look at the Reserve Bank. Last year, Australia looked to be on the verge of a slowdown, which was only to be expected after one of the fastest rate hike cycles in history, prompting the RBA to shave a couple of rate hikes off the top.