I was surrounded by my dearest friends while ringing in this past New Year. I noticed how delighted I was to be around people I have such a rich history with and, though I spent the whole day stressed about the party I was to host that night, I was ultimately able to have a great time with my friends.
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This got me thinking about the way social interaction affects people. I spent the whole day in business mode, communicating with various people and wondering if I’d even have fun come party time. How, then, was I able to forget all my worries once I was surrounded by my pals? Is it ever more than just a fun night with friends? I found out that it’s way more than that.
Robert Waldinger, in his 2015 TED Talk, discusses most people’s inclination to cite wealth, fame, and high achievement as the most likely keys to a happy and healthy life. This didn’t come as a surprise to me. I thought, Of course fame, money, and success are the keys to happiness!
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Waldinger, however, goes on to inform us that these actually aren’t the secrets to happiness. He is currently a director on the longest study conducted on human happiness. This study, throughout its 76 years, has proven that social interaction and healthy, loving relationships have more of an impact on health and contentedness than you might guess.
In fact, Waldinger says loneliness is “toxic.” It isn’t as simple as making sure you’re never alone. He complicates this idea by letting viewers know you can still be lonely in any relationship you have. It’s more the quality of the relationships you’re a part of that can make or break your physical and mental health.
It isn’t great news to learn that a lack of social interaction can shorten your lifespan and make you overall unhappy. But this new information does help further an understanding of what steps you can take to make sure you’re living your best life and helping the people around you do the same.
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