What keeps us happy and healthy when we go through life?
Where to put time and energy today to ensure that you always stay happy and healthy?
Is it to get rich and famous? Hmmmm…
Is it to travel and see the world? Hmmmm…
Is it to study and then to work hard? Hmmmm…
Harvard University has been conducting probably the longest ever research on happiness, interviewing and observing the life developments of hundreds of people during their lives from the time they were teenagers to the time when they are 90 years old (those who are still alive).
The TED talk of the Harvard University professor explains how connection and the meaningful relationships we have in our lives make us happy and healthy.
The results of this fascinating study didn’t surprise me. It complemented what I had already learned from research conducted by the Barrett Values Centre about the most important values of humanity.
Here they are:
Family (the biggest source of love and connection)
Humour/Fun (again, a great way to connect to others)
Caring (a demonstration of love and connection)
Respect (we can see it as a way to connect)
Friendship (no comment)
These two pieces of research show that investing time and energy into creating loving and meaningful connections or relationships in your family, with your friends, colleagues, peers, neighbors… will guarantee a happier and healthier life.
How much time and effort do you invest in creating deep and meaningful relationships today or in the current stage of your life? Is it something you focus on? We focus time and energy on what really important to us and not what we think is important or what we want to see as important.
To get clarity on that, think about using the Individual Values Assessment and/or Values Elicitation Coaching. These tools will show you what and how needs to be changed so that you have deep and meaningful relationships in your personal and professional life and therefore stay happier and healthier.
Comments