Okay, get this. A Harvard study starting in 1938 tracked 724 men to see how their mental and emotional wellness was working out for them. It was a bunch of guys, from the poorest of neighborhoods to Harvard’s finest undergraduates. About 60 of them are still kicking around in their 90s.
Bottom line: The happiest and healthiest of the group were those who established and maintained meaningful relationships with spouses, family, friends and social circles. Those who led troubled and shortened lives tended to isolate and hide out. The winners stuck around folks who made them feel good and dropped those people who weighed them down. The smart ones were able to let go of past failures and gravitate to people who brought them joy.
As you know, I only appreciate academic research studies that support what seems to be working for me. I’m always messing up on my healthy diet plan, and my exercise bike needs dusting. But I work diligently to be around friends and family who make me laugh and encourage me to do fun, crazy stuff. That’s why I’m giving Dr. Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, an A-plus.
Won’t you be my friend?
Be quiet