The longest running study on happiness:

Harvard's 84 year old Study of Adult Development.

Here are 7 lessons from the study to help you live a happier life:

1. A happy childhood goes a long way:

A happy childhood is correlated with:
• Better physical health
• Strong relationships in later life
• Lower likelihood of depression by 50

We're all beyond our childhood, but this is helpful information for parents.

2. But a bad childhood can be compensated in middle age:

A bad childhood can undermine later happiness in life.

But people who focused on nurturing the next generation through parenting and other means had a much happier adulthood than those who didn't.

3. Time with loved ones has strong positive effects on happiness:

• Quality of relationships matters more than quantity.

• However, quantity of time spent with those relationships is vital.

• Having a spouse, especially in old age, helped a lot with keeping sadness at bay.

4. Coping strategies really help:

These include:
• Altruism
• Helping the disadvantaged
• Suppressing negative feelings

Effective coping strategies were a predictor for better relationships, strong social support, and sharper brains.

5. Lifestyle has a significant impact on well being:

Those who aged well:
• Were physically active
• Didn't smoke or drink much
• Had low body weight
• Enjoyed stable marriages

6. Know when to let go:

• Happier adults were better at letting go of past failures and troubles.

• They spend more of their time focusing on activities and things that bring them joy.

7. The most important finding:

Close relationships are the strongest predictor of happiness ― even more so than social class, IQ, fame, money, or even genes.

The folks most satisfied with their relationships at 50, were also the healthiest at age 80.

This quote from Robert Waldinger, the study's Director, sums it up:

“Loneliness kills. It’s as powerful as smoking or alcoholism.”

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