What’s the secret to living a long, happy life? How do relationships influence happiness and longevity? How does social connection impact stress and well-being?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and author of The Good Life, to explore the powerful role of relationships in health and happiness.
Dr. Waldinger leads the world’s longest-running study on happiness, a ground-breaking project that began in 1938. Drawing from over eight decades of research, Dr. Waldinger offers actionable insights into why relationships are vital and how we can nurture them for a healthier, more fulfilling life.
In this interview, you’ll learn . . .
- Why relationships are the most important predictor of happiness and longevity
- The role of “social fitness” in managing stress and improving well-being
- How to identify and address signs of loneliness in your life
- The secrets to making new friends and deepening existing connections
- How family dynamics shape your ability to build relationships
And more…
So, if you want to understand how relationships can transform your health and happiness, click play and join the conversation.
---
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(05:46) Harvard study overview
(08:53) Cultural differences
(10:33) Social fitness
(13:29) Relationships and longevity
(15:24) Signs of poor socializing
(21:54) Quality vs. quantity
(26:44) Deepening connections
(32:57) Childhood's role
(35:19) Parenting mistakes
(38:42) Attention as love
(39:51) Defining high-quality relationships
(44:46) Romantic vs. friendships
(50:41) Signs of successful couples
---
Mentioned on the Show:
The Little Black Book of Workout Motivation
The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Study on Happiness
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!