Don’t Worry! Be Happy!
There is an interesting term that does not get used very often and is misunderstood as, “wellness.” That term is, “wellbeing.” Well-being is the feeling of health, happiness, and prosperity. It includes having good mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose, and the ability to manage stress. Well-being is broad and multifaceted with correlations to numerous aspects of our life. It is impacted by many factors, both psychological and physical.
The underlying question is, “How do we feel happy in all of these areas?”
Unstuckable™ and Well-Being by Dr. Pat Baccili
The Longest Study on Happiness from Harvard
Starting in the 1930s, researchers tracked men from different neighborhoods in the Boston area over several decades, asking them to provide regular updates on their lives, including their current health, income, employment, and marital status. Women were added to the study later. According to a statement from The Harvard Crimson, the Harvard study on happiness doesn’t explicitly focus on happiness, but rather on “normal” development. So is it really a study on happiness? Well, in part.
The study has found that relationships are one of the biggest factors in happiness and health, and that maintaining quality relationships positively impacts participants’ physical health, mental health, and longevity. The study has also found that optimism has many health benefits, and that forgiveness can foster good mental health.
The Harvard study also found that people who are good at connecting with others are the happiest, and are able to be more resilient when facing challenges in life.
According to Forbes and other magazines, the study’s findings include:
- Loneliness is a killer
- Happiness comes first, then the rest of it second
- A virtuous cycle, where the two good things reinforce each other
- People who are great at connecting with, and reaching out to, others everyday were the happiest, and were able to be more resilient when facing challenges in life
- People with strong, supportive relationships were happier, healthier, and lived longer than those with weak or troubled relationships
- People with more robust social connections showed lower rates of diabetes, arthritis, cognitive decline, and other chronic conditions
From where you sit, what would you add?
