Harvard's Thoughts on Happiness
Updated: Jan 30, 2024
Sometimes life is only as good as the people around you. We can seemingly do all the right things in the world's eyes, but without community, something is off inside of us. It’s like an ache we feel in our body that does not get cured unless we find the people to cure it.
In the longest study ever done on human happiness by Harvard, the number one factor contributing to a long, happy life is positive relationships. Who is around us makes all the difference. As one writer summarizes, “It is mostly relationships and the connections you forge that lead to the most contented people. Whether these are in the form of friendships, book clubs, romantic attachments, church groups, sports partners or co-workers, the people with the strongest social bonds and connections in their 50s, were in the best shape in their 80s.”
In the Christian faith, the New Testament found the same result to be true – even without the long-term research. All throughout scripture you see the theme of building bonds with family, friends, church members, and fellow workers. No matter what culture we find ourselves in and which way we practice it, we need each other.
This week, take some time to appreciate the people in your life. Maybe you can send someone a text, a phone call, or share a compliment face to face telling them how much they mean to you. Relationships go a long way when both parties feel appreciated. Sometimes all it takes is a moment to slow down and be thankful. Because it is the people most dear to us that make life so special.
