When having to balance your daily focus between managing your career, maintaining a home and even your social life, prioritizing what’s important can become difficult. In an attempt to discover the secret to a happy and fulfilling life Harvard conducted a scientific study. The Grant and Gleuck study tracked two different populations of men. The first was the Grant section consisting of 456 poor men whom grew up in Boston from 1939-2014. The Glueck section was 268 Harvard graduates from the 1939-1944 class range. A team of diligent researchers have been analyzing blood samples, reviewing self-reported surveys, interviews, and even brain scans in the more recent years, since WWII.
RELATED: Scientists Locate ‘Happiness Genes’ For the First Time
So, what is the secret? Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, states that, “good relationships keep us happier. Period.”
It doesn’t matter how much you have acquired in your 401K, how many social media followers you have, or if you are your own boss. The study supports that the comfort of having a loved one to rely on not only helps you relax but it also keeps your brain healthier longer, reducing both physical and emotional pain. I think John Lennon said it best, “All you need is love.”
RELATED:A New Approach to Happiness and Self-Improvement Based on Rationality
The data collected clearly proves that those who feel lonely are more likely to die at an earlier age. We all want to prevent that outcome. You might be thinking to yourself that you’ve got this covered. But make sure to asses that quality of your relationships, not just the quantity. The quality of a relationship can be measured by how much vulnerability and depth exists within them. If you are comfortable enough with that person to relax and feel safe while being your truest self, then you know it’s the real deal. Someone who goes out with a group of people every Saturday night could still be terribly lonely. As proven by the data, in the end you could monetarily have everything you thought you could ever want, maintain great physical shape, but still be unhappy if you lack personal relationships.
Leaving you with a little advice, stop being distracted from your loved ones. Instead of working late try to leave on time for have dinner with a friend, go to the beach on Saturdays with your sister, and make the time to increase the depth of your relationships. Remember, the secret is love.
Curated article from Inc.
