Tag: Harvard

The Key Ingredients to a Happy Life

Americans are deeply invested in the ideal of happiness. But what actually defines happiness and how people are supposed to seek it out is an entirely different question. It’s one that researchers have spent a great deal of time analyzing and certainly an idea that remains elusive to many.

Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, has spent his entire life’s work looking at these issues. In a study started in 1938, he found that the main key to happiness boils down to relationships. He has coauthored the book The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness and shares many of the findings from this study there.

Waldinger outlines five essential tips for achieving a happier life:

  1. Prioritize Physical Health: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, adequate sleep, and avoiding harmful habits like smoking or excessive drinking are vital. Those who take care of their physical well-being not only live longer but also enjoy more years free from illness.
  2. Nurture Social Connections: Invest in relationships by actively seeking out connections. Whether through community activities, hobbies, or volunteering, expanding your social circle can improve your overall well-being.
  3. Maintain and Strengthen Relationships: Small, consistent actions like regular check-ins with friends or shared activities help keep relationships vibrant and prevent them from fading due to neglect.
  4. Express Core Values: Identify and express what truly matters to you, whether it’s authenticity, family, or other values. Engaging in activities that align with these values enhances life satisfaction.
  5. Embrace Change: Relationships and personal circumstances evolve. Accepting and adapting to these changes, rather than resisting them, leads to healthier, more supportive connections.

Waldinger emphasizes that while happiness fluctuates, focusing on these areas can lead to a more fulfilling life overall. He also explains that one of the most fascinating findings of the study was that people who were connected to others not only found happiness – but that they lived longer.

Happiness is Key

Everyone wants to be happy. This feeling, emotion, state of being – is a hard one to define. While we may not be able to pinpoint what exactly happiness is per say, we can safely assert that it is something we all strive for and is objectively viewed as positive.

So, what are the benefits of happiness?

There are many theories on the subject. A series of studies conducted in 2012 found a connection between psychological and physical well-being. Those who displayed optimistic psychological qualities, like happiness and positive thinking, were also found to be at lower risk for cardiovascular issues. Laura Kubzansky, one of the Harvard School of Public Health researchers who published these findings, clarified that people who exhibit a positive sense of well-being seem to have an easier time living physically healthy lifestyles. She suggests that healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, exercising, and getting a good night’s sleep may be recognized as beneficial activities in achieving long-term goals by those whose mindset is more optimistic.

The recent offering of coal leases in Wyoming indicates that the Administration is also solidly behind the fossil order cheap levitra fuel industries and shows little concern for climate impacts. As you should make efforts to maintain viagra no prescription overnight balance and keep you in good health. There parents were not ready previously, but after seeing Rita’s and Micheal’s love for each other, they didn’t put in any hurdles in cialis online order their way. It gives the better lubrication in the female role on cultural, economic, communal and educational levels, sexuality and male impotence are motionless, wearing a veil in secrecy, confidentiality and a high-quality deal of uncertainty. “Real men” do not have to fork out for any R&D costs. professional viagra cheap

A more recent study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal concluded that people ages 60+ who reportedly “enjoyed life” were less likely to develop a disability over an eight-year time frame, and were physically more mobile. While the studies do not prove a causal relationship, we can learn that there is a correlation.

The next question is, then, how can we maintain a more positive mindset?

Many psychologists recommend mindfulness techniques. The mindfulness approach places an emphasis on the here-and-now; living in the moment and being present. Some enjoy keeping a gratitude journal. Others notice an increase in satisfaction when they’ve helped another person.

Whatever method you choose, you can rest assured that maintaining a good sense of well-being is correlated with physical health and beneficial to one’s overall happiness.