Happiness Research: One Big Finding
Decades of wellness studies have identified a formula for happiness
What is the central activity that promotes happiness? A century of research gives us the answer: Connection to others.
That includes having a conversation with a stranger, e.g. on a train; but more importantly, maintaining close, trusting ties with family and friends. One of the main predictors of happiness in old age is being involved in a lasting marriage that was considered “happy” at age 50.
Other components that can bring happiness are being kind to others, feeling grateful, and expressing gratitude. Lifestyle choices such as meditation, exercise, and adequate rest also contribute to happiness.
Research
The clearest message of a 75-year study conducted at Harvard notes: “ Good relationships keep us happier and healthier…Strong, long-term relationships with spouses, family and friends built on deep trust — not achievement, not fortune or fame — were what predicted well-being.” Psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, MD, completed the study. His talk on this theme is one of TED’s most watched to date, with more than 40 million views.
For psychotherapists: helping patients have more satisfying emotional lives by enabling them to sustain meaningful relationships is an important goal, perhaps the most important goal.’
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Originally published in full in the New York Times Magazine, May 2, 2025: Link
Above was excerpted from the original article.
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