Practice Self Care through Fostering Social Connections

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Julie Apold

The best predictor of your overall health, happiness and longevity is how good your social relationships are. More than 80 years ago, Harvard researchers set out to answer the question "What makes a good life?" by studying the same group of men year after year and decade after decade.

The clearest message from the study is this: good relationships (family, friends, and community) keep us happier and healthier, period. Research shows that people with strong social relationships are 50% more likely to live longer.

To assist you and those in your community with fostering strong social connections, you can begin by listening to Robert Waldinger's TED talk to learn more about Lessons Learned from the longest study on happiness (3-minute version; 12-minute version), and then plan and encourage activities to increase social connectedness. As stated by Brené Brown, "Connection is why we're here; it's what gives us meaning and purpose in life."

Happiness is contagious; pass it on!

Visit the Self Care for Safe Care site to find resources and tools for bringing Social Connections to your community this month. This is the fourth of six Self Care for Safe Care activities designed to build our resilience and increase our sense of happiness and well-being. 

For more information on Self Care for Safe Care or our other resiliency and mental health support resources, reach out to Julie Apold or Terri Foley.