What makes a good life? It’s probably one of the most important questions a person can ask. To answer this question, Harvard began to analyze happiness in 1938 with “The Harvard Study of Adult Development”. Today, it is the longest-running study on happiness. For the last 85 years, researchers have been following participants, trying to understand what it takes to thrive in this world. In simple terms, WHAT MAKES A GOOD LIFE?
Recently, program directors Dr. Robert Waldinger and Dr. Marc Schulz have published the book “The Good Life: lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness”. In the book they share THE 7 LESSONS THAT CAN HELP YOU LIVE A HAPPIER LIFE. Here are the lessons:
- A HAPPY CHILDHOOD GOES A LONG WAY. Researchers prove that a happy childhood is correlated with better physical health, strong relationships in later life, and a lower likelihood of depression by 50. We’re all beyond our childhood, but this is helpful information for parents.
- A BAD CHILDHOOD CAN BE COMPENSATED FOR IN MIDDLE AGE. A bad childhood can undermine later happiness in life. But people who focused on nurturing the next generation through parenting and other means had much happier adulthood than those who didn’t.
- TIME WITH LOVED ONES HAS STRONG POSITIVE EFFECTS ON HAPPINESS. According to the study, the quality of relationships matters more than quantity. However, the quantity of time spent with those relationships is vital. Having a spouse, especially in old age, helped a lot with keeping sadness at bay.
- COPING STRATEGIES REALLY HELP. These include altruism, helping the disadvantaged, and suppressing negative feelings. Effective coping strategies were a predictor for better relationships, strong social support, and sharper brains.
- LIFESTYLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON WELL-BEING. Those who aged well: were physically active and didn’t smoke or drink much. They also had low body weight and enjoyed stable marriages.
- KNOW WHEN TO LET GO. happier adults were better at letting go of past failures and troubles. They spend more time focusing on activities and things that bring them joy.
- CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE STRONGEST PREDICTOR OF HAPPINESS ― even more so than social class, IQ, fame, money, or even genes. Probably this is the most important finding. The folks most satisfied with their relationships at 50, were also the healthiest at age 80. This quote from Robert Waldinger, the study’s Director, sums it up: “Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.”
And I finish with another quote from Robert Waldinger that condenses the essence of the study: “If you want to be happy and have a better life, invest in your relationships”.
