Harvard doctor's simple tip can boost your happiness in one minute. A startup CEO is already practicing it
iStock Harvard doctor Trisha Pasricha proved that one-minute chats with strangers can boost happiness, echoing a University of Chicago study. In a parallel tale, startup CEO Harsh Pokharna found the same truth during spontaneous meetups in Jaipur, reinforcing that real connection starts offline. (Representational image: iStock) It wasn't a research lab or a stethoscope that Harvard doctor Trisha Pasricha turned to recently—it was the simple, brave act of chatting with strangers while waiting in line. A physician, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, and the Ask a Doctor columnist for The Washington Post, Dr. Pasricha tested a charming scientific theory on the bustling platforms of Boston's Green Line: that one-minute conversations with strangers can actually make you happier. 'It is scientifically proven that you can boost your happiness in one minute by talking to a stranger,' she began in a video she shared on Instagram, proceeding to engage unsuspecting commuters in playful and warm exchanges. Whether she was joking about being a Celtics fan or asking if someone wanted to be a pediatrician, the result was almost always the same—people smiled, talked, and lingered in conversations they hadn't planned for.
The experiment wasn't just a cute social video. It was rooted in evidence. According to Dr. Pasricha, several studies, including one from the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business in 2014, showed that people who spoke to strangers during their daily commute felt more positive afterward—even though they originally assumed their fellow travelers wouldn't be interested. 'I had a great time,' Dr. Pasricha said, visibly moved by the simplicity of connection. 'Most people were down to just keep talking for minutes and minutes on end.'
Interestingly, this scientific truth found a surprising echo in the world of tech entrepreneurship. Harsh Pokharna, the CEO of Bengaluru-based fintech startup OkCredit and an IIT Kanpur alumnus, unintentionally embarked on a social experiment of his own. During a break in his hometown Jaipur, Pokharna posted a casual Instagram story inviting people to hang out. What began as boredom soon turned into an unexpectedly fulfilling journey of human connection.
From random DMs to heartfelt discussions about therapy, dating, and dreams, Pokharna's days became filled with spontaneous meetups that mirrored the spirit of Pasricha's scientific adventure. 'There were no rules, no agendas—just organic human connection,' Pokharna noted, as he sipped coffee, played badminton, and took walks with strangers who soon felt like old friends. Both Pasricha and Pokharna's experiences—one rooted in medical science, the other in lived curiosity—prove the same point: in an era dominated by curated lives and digital walls, the art of spontaneous conversation is a quiet rebellion. It's free, it's freeing, and it might just be the one-minute happiness hack we all need.
Pasricha's dare at the end of her video is more than an Instagram caption—'I dare you to try this with a stranger today'—it's an invitation to revive something ancient and humane: unfiltered, real-world connection. For a society struggling with loneliness, digital fatigue, and emotional burnout, it may be time to treat these micro-interactions not as throwaway moments, but as therapeutic encounters. Both the doctor and the startup CEO, from Harvard labs to Jaipur streets, remind us that wellness isn't always found in a prescription bottle or a productivity app. Sometimes, it's waiting in line with a stranger, ready to say hello.
( Originally published on Jun 19, 2025 )
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