1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilled Life

A 75, yes 75 year study by Harvard has found the 1 secret to leading a fulfilled life.

What they did was look at 2 studies looking at the well-being of 2 opposite populations - 456 poor men growing up in Boston from 1939 to 2014 against 268  males who graduated Harvard between the years 1939 and 1944.

The 1 clear message they got from both study groups is that  good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.

This means that possessions and status don't really mean as much over the long term because long after those things occur, all your left with is relationships.

It also demonstrates that having someone to rely on helps your nervous system relax, helps your brain stay healthier for longer, and reduces both emotional and physical pain.

We've all seen an elderly relative that went through a pretty quick process of deterioration once a partner died - this data shows that those who feel lonely are more likely to see their physical health decline earlier and die younger.

Going a bit deeper, it's also not the amount of relationships you have, or how committed to a single relationship, it's the quality of your close relationships that matter.

How much vulnerability and depth that exists in your relationships, how safe you feel sharing with one another and the extent at which you can relax, is what can make these relationships a sense of fulfillment.

One of the psychiatrists suggests that there are 2 foundational elements to this with one being love and the other being to find a way to coping with life that does not push love away.

This can happen such as money troubles and losing a child breaking up a marriage - you can't deal with the trauma and you both end up coping in a way that pushes the love (resentment, anger etc).

The article suggest that you need to prioritise not only your connection, but your own capacity to process emotions and stress - take personal growth seriously so that you are available for connection.

And if you're too busy being busy, then re-think your strategy in regards to family and friends.

So it really goes to show that money and status won't make you happy forever!