You probably wonder what makes a good life. In the show TED talk, Robert Waldinger talks on what constitutes a good life. After posing the question “What makes a good life?”the responses that came in include money, fame and life achievements. However, long-running research by Robert Waldinger provides different answers.
Background of the research
In 1935, Harvard University embarked on a lengthy study to find out what makes happiness in life. The study took in second-year students aged nineteen from Harvard University. The research also included teenage participants from poor backgrounds in Boston. For more than 75 years, the researchers conducted interviews on the subjects. They also checked up on the participants of video porno after every two years to assess how they were doing. The findings of the study about happiness came in as a surprise to the researchers.
Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger presented the findings in TED talks with the title “What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness,” in the talk, Waldinger points oursocial connections create our happiness and wellbeing. This is contrary to the opinion of many young people who think that hard work, fortunes, and fame lead to a fulfilling life. Robert Waldinger is the fourth director of this long-running research here are some lessons he talks about.
The three lessons on Happiness
In the talk, Waldinger points out to the three lessons the research deduced from the findings:
1. Social connections are good for the wellbeing of our lives; loneliness kills.
2. Quality connections and relations are more important than the number of relationships.
3. Good relations improve not only our health but our brains too.
The killer – Loneliness
Approximately 20 percent of Americans report feeling lonely. The research discovered that loneliness is a killer. From this, it is clear that social connections and interactions are vital to living a happier and healthier life. Those who connect with family, friends, and community will have a fulfilling life. On the contrary, those who live in isolation will not experience a fulfilling life.
Quality and not quantity or relationships
You do not attain happiness based on how many friends you have. The quality of the relationships you have with your friends will influence your happiness. The study looked at participants aged 80 years trying to find out their view about their life at the 50s. Although health problems lingered, they can still improve their moods. Thanks to their protective relationships from their middle life, which elevates their moods even at the age of eighty. Participants who lacked these relationships (during their middle life) including marriage experienced pain that is more physical during their 80s.
Good Relationships are good for your brain and body
As above, healthy relationships can improve moods and wellbeing at an advanced age. Good relationships provide more than that. Such relationships can enhance your brain function. The research notes that participants, who enjoyed healthy relationships through their life, had an improved recall capacity than those who lacked healthy relationships. The study further shows that those who lacked healthy relationships had declined memory functions.Healthy relationships allow you to have a person to depend on and be happy.
The point to take home is that we should focus on building healthy relationships to enjoy a healthy and happy life. Contrary to popular belief, fame and life achievements do count in our happiness. It is not about having hundreds of friends, the quality of relationships is key to our happiness.
