Greetings everyone......I received a report recently which I have
decided to share with everyone. For over
75 years, a team at Harvard has tracked the physical and emotional well-being of
two populations: over 700 men from both
poor families and graduates from Harvard. The study included brain scans, blood
samples, self-reported surveys and actual interactions. (I’m not sure why it was
limited to men…but I believe the results would not be that different if women
were also included.)
The conclusion: One thing
surpasses all the rest in terms of importance:
the clearest message from the 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and
healthier. Period.
The biggest
predictor of your happiness and fulfillment overall in life, is basically,
love.
The
data is also very clear that those who feel lonely are more likely to see their
physical health decline earlier and die younger.
According to one of the researchers, “It’s not just the number of
friends you have, and it’s not whether or not you’re in a committed
relationship. It’s the quality of your
close relationships that matters.”
What that means is this: it doesn’t matter whether you have a huge
group of friends or if you are in a “perfect” romantic relationship. It’s the quality of the relationships—how much vulnerability and depth exists
within them; how safe you feel sharing with one another; the extent to which you
can relax and be seen for who you truly are and truly see
another.
There are two foundational elements to this: “One is love. The other is finding a way of coping with
life that does not push love away.” So
it’s important to prioritize not only connection but your own capacity to process emotions
and stress.
The data is clear, that in the end, you could have all the money
you’ve ever wanted, a successful career, and be in good physical health, but
without loving relationships, you won’t be happy.
So the next time you’re scrolling through Facebook or remain glued to your phone, instead of
being present at the table with your significant other, or you are staying late
at the office instead of getting together with your family or close friends,
consider making a different choice.
Relationships are messy and they’re complicated. Well, that’s life. And according to the director of the Harvard
Study, Robert Waldinger, here is the bottom line: The
good life is built with good relationships. And obviously, that includes loving marriages.
Remember: Happy marriages
begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we
marry...... Jim Covington
