Latest news with #RobertWaldinger
CNBC
21-05-2025
- Health
- CNBC
Harvard happiness expert: Do this easy exercise right now to stay socially connected—it'll take less than two minutes
An 87-year-long Harvard study found that social fitness — maintaining your personal relationships and keeping them in good shape — was the No. 1 thing the happiest, longest-living people have in common. "Invest in relationships, invest in connections and invest in the things you find meaningful," Dr. Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, said during an interview at the New York Times Well Festival. "If you're doing more of that, you're more likely to be happy more of the time. You won't be happy all the time. But happiness is likely to find you more often." To prove that pouring into your connections doesn't have to be a heavy lift, Waldinger offered up a simple way that the audience at the festival could receive a "dopamine hit" and connect with someone in their lives immediately. "When I talk about investing in relationships, most people think, 'You know, I am so busy. I have so much going on in my life. How do I make time for this?'" Here's how you can improve a relationship that you value in just three steps: "One of the things we found about people who were what we call socially fit is that they did these small things over and over again. You know, daily, multiple times a day," Waldinger said. During their commute, they'd call someone, or they'd schedule their workouts at the gym with a friend, he explained. They found ways to intertwine the repetitive tasks in their daily life with social connection. "When people did that, they stayed more current with more people in their lives. And that built this bedrock of social wellbeing." ,
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
3 Ways to Cultivate Joy
Hello! I'm Catherine, a relationships reporter at The Times, and I'm filling in for my colleague Jancee Dunn this week — which has been an exciting one for those of us on the Well team. On Wednesday, we hosted the first-ever Well Festival in Brooklyn, which brought together some of the biggest names in health for a day of conversations. A lot of the talks focused on common cornerstones of well-being, like nutrition, mental health and fitness. But as I sat in the audience, I was struck by how many of the conversations touched on joy. Specifically, how essential joy is to building a healthy, meaningful life. And how to cultivate a bit more of it every day. Here are three of my favorite joy-boosting tips that the panelists shared. Want to live a longer, happier life? Tend to your relationships, said Dr. Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School who oversees the longest-running study of human happiness. That study has found that strong relationships are one of the biggest factors in people's well-being as they age. Investing in connection doesn't have to be a heavy lift, Dr. Waldinger said, at one point instructing all those in the audience to take out their phones and text someone they hadn't seen in a while. 'Just say, 'Hi, I was thinking of you and I wanted to connect,'' he said. Don't worry if you don't get a text back, he added. It's like baseball. You won't get a hit or a home run every time, and that's OK. Kelly McGonigal, a health psychologist at Stanford University, was in a remedial physical education class as a kid. So it's surprising, she explained, that she has built a career around joyful movement. Exercise can help us feel more inspired and hopeful, she said, and it 'changes our brain chemistry in a way that makes it easier to connect with others.' The challenge is to find ways to move your body that feel joyful, not burdensome. So give some thought to the kinds of movement that feel good to you. For some, it might be a challenging run that feels lousy in the moment but makes you feel strong and proud of your persistence after the fact, Dr. McGonigal said. For others, it might mean taking the dog for a walk. 'Your body will give you data,' Dr. McGonigal reassured the audience. Think about what you want more of in your life. Do you want to be outdoors more often? Play more? Make new friends? My colleague Katie Mogg wrote more about finding a form of exercise you can fall in love with. Suleika Jaouad, the memoirist and author of a new best seller, 'The Book of Alchemy,' was diagnosed with leukemia in her 20s. Last summer, she had a recurrence, and the advice a lot of people offered was to live each day like it was her last. But every time she heard that sentence, she felt an 'intense sense of panic,' Jaouad said. 'It is exhausting to try to make every family dinner as meaningful as possible — to carpe diem the crap out of every single moment,' she said. 'So I am done doing that. Instead, I've had to shift to a different mind-set, which is the idea of living every day as if it's your first — to wake up with a sense of curiosity and wonder and playfulness.' One way Jaouad, a committed journal keeper, tries to accomplish that is through what she calls 'small acts of creative alchemy.' Recently she has been jotting down 10 memorable moments from the past 24 hours, stream of consciousness. She has been surprised by the things that have bubbled up. 'It's always the small moments,' Jaouad said. You can watch conversations from the festival here. You've heard of 'crunchy moms.' Now get ready for 'crunchy teens.' High schoolers are appealing to other health-conscious adolescents on social media, sometimes by championing ideas reflective of the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. Read the article: The Rise of the 'Crunchy Teen' Wellness Influencer Is there an ideal way to wake up from sleep? There's plenty of research and expert advice to have a healthy bedtime routine. But there are ways to optimize getting up in the morning, too. Here are four tips to better start your day. Read the article: What's the Best Way to Wake Up? The Week in Well Here are some stories you don't want to miss: Let's keep the conversation going. Follow Well on Instagram, or write to us at well_newsletter@ And check out last week's newsletter about an ancient key to happiness.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctor behind 80-year happiness study was ‘shocked' by the biggest predictor of a long, healthy life
What if the secret to longevity wasn't in the mind or the gut — but in the heart? Speaking at the inaugural New York Times Well Festival on Wednesday, psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Robert Waldinger announced he and his team were 'shocked' by 'the biggest predictor of who was going to live long and stay healthy.' Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development — the longest-running scientific study of adult life — revealed it was 'how connected you were to other people and particularly the warmth of your connection to other people.' Apparently, the researchers were floored by these findings. 'How could our relationships actually get into our bodies and actually change our physiology?' Waldinger mused. 'The best hypothesis is that it has to do with stress, that in fact relationships — when they're good — are stress relievers.' After all, how we feel does manifest itself physically — you can feel your pulse begin to race and your breathing quicken when something upsetting or anxiety-inducing happens, and the opposite is true when you calm down, he explained. Having someone to vent to, as it turns out, plays a pretty big role in that. 'People who don't have connections with other people, those people don't have the same stress regulation mechanisms in their lives that people with good relationships have,' Waldinger said. The secret sauce is recognizing that it's not enough to have relationships — you need to cultivate them as you would a garden. Most of us don't expect to be physically fit without putting some work into it — why would relationships be any different? 'The people who were best at relationships were the people who were actively involved in staying in touch with people, people who really nurtured their relationships,' he said. 'Most of us take our relationships for granted.' He went so far as to say people who are intentional about keeping in touch and fostering relationships had a 'superpower' that 'went under the radar.' The best part is you don't need to plan an elaborate trip or book a bonding activity to get the benefits. Little things, like actually making eye contact with the barista making your coffee or — heaven forbid — the TSA agent checking your passport, give us 'little hits of well-being,' according to Waldinger. It's the latest appeal from an increasing number of experts reminding people that social connection is a fundamental part of being human — and an essential aspect of good health. A recent study even identified socializing as one of the six factors you can control that lower the risk of dementia, stroke and depression — adding to existing research indicating it's a boon for longevity. It seems that's easy to forget in today's increasingly virtual world, as psychotherapist Kathryn Smerling previously told The Post she prescribes 'socialization very often' to her clients. Elsewhere in the NYT talk, Waldinger noted that our culture may not always steer us in the right direction when it comes to happiness. 'These badges of achievement that we all set out for ourselves — money, awards, followers on social media — those badges of achievement are quantifiable, so they look like they're gonna make us happy, but they don't,' he said. 'The culture can sell us this idea that if we just do all the right things, we'll be happy all the time,' he added. 'That is not true. Nobody is happy all the time.' That said, next time you want to feel like a superhero — try calling your mom.
New York Post
08-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Doctor behind 80-year happiness study was ‘shocked' by the biggest predictor of a long, healthy life
What if the secret to longevity wasn't in the mind or the gut — but in the heart? Speaking at the inaugural New York Times Well Festival on Wednesday, psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Robert Waldinger announced he and his team were 'shocked' by 'the biggest predictor of who was going to live long and stay healthy.' 3 Dr. Robert Waldinger said researchers were 'shocked' by 'the biggest predictor of who was going to live long and stay healthy.' Jose Alvarado Jr for The New York Times Advertisement Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development — the longest-running scientific study of adult life — revealed it was 'how connected you were to other people and particularly the warmth of your connection to other people.' Apparently, the researchers were floored by these findings. 'How could our relationships actually get into our bodies and actually change our physiology?' Waldinger mused. Advertisement 'The best hypothesis is that it has to do with stress, that in fact relationships — when they're good — are stress relievers.' After all, how we feel does manifest itself physically — you can feel your pulse begin to race and your breathing quicken when something upsetting or anxiety-inducing happens, and the opposite is true when you calm down, he explained. Having someone to vent to, as it turns out, plays a pretty big role in that. Advertisement 'People who don't have connections with other people, those people don't have the same stress regulation mechanisms in their lives that people with good relationships have,' Waldinger said. The secret sauce is recognizing that it's not enough to have relationships — you need to cultivate them as you would a garden. 3 'The best hypothesis is that it has to do with stress, that in fact relationships — when they're good — are stress relievers,' Waldinger said. Syda Productions – Most of us don't expect to be physically fit without putting some work into it — why would relationships be any different? Advertisement 'The people who were best at relationships were the people who were actively involved in staying in touch with people, people who really nurtured their relationships,' he said. 'Most of us take our relationships for granted.' He went so far as to say people who are intentional about keeping in touch and fostering relationships had a 'superpower' that 'went under the radar.' The best part is you don't need to plan an elaborate trip or book a bonding activity to get the benefits. Little things, like actually making eye contact with the barista making your coffee or — heaven forbid — the TSA agent checking your passport, give us 'little hits of well-being,' according to Waldinger. 3 'Most of us take our relationships for granted,' Waldinger said. Johnstocker – It's the latest appeal from an increasing number of experts reminding people that social connection is a fundamental part of being human — and an essential aspect of good health. A recent study even identified socializing as one of the six factors you can control that lower the risk of dementia, stroke and depression — adding to existing research indicating it's a boon for longevity. It seems that's easy to forget in today's increasingly virtual world, as psychotherapist Kathryn Smerling previously told The Post she prescribes 'socialization very often' to her clients. Advertisement Elsewhere in the NYT talk, Waldinger noted that our culture may not always steer us in the right direction when it comes to happiness. 'These badges of achievement that we all set out for ourselves — money, awards, followers on social media — those badges of achievement are quantifiable, so they look like they're gonna make us happy, but they don't,' he said. 'The culture can sell us this idea that if we just do all the right things, we'll be happy all the time,' he added. 'That is not true. Nobody is happy all the time.' That said, next time you want to feel like a superhero — try calling your mom.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Happiness Myth We're All Buying Into, According to One Expert
If you ask most people what they want out of life, the answer usually includes something like 'I just want to be happy.' But after nearly a century of studying what really makes life fulfilling, Dr. Robert Waldinger, psychiatrist and director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, says we're aiming at the wrong target. Despite what social media, corporate culture, and hustle culture tell us, happiness isn't about achievements or metrics. More money, more followers, more accolades, these so-called 'badges of achievement,' don't add up to lasting satisfaction. During a recent panel at The New York Times Well Festival. Waldinger said this pursuit is misguided, and it may be keeping us from what truly matters. So if happiness doesn't come from external success, where does it come from? According to Waldinger—and nearly 80 years of research—the answer is simple, if not easy. During the panel, he explained that relationships and purpose are at the core of fulfillment. Whether it's with family, friends, romantic partners, or even colleagues, real happiness stems from connection. And not just casual contact, but meaningful engagement and checking in with people, showing up, listening, and caring. Waldinger says it's about building a 'bedrock of social well-being.' Through years of personal exploration and research, Dr. Waldinger came to a realization that echoes ancient wisdom: true fulfillment lies in being fully present and connected to something greater than oneself, a core teaching of Zen Buddhism. This understanding took on deeper meaning when, at 47, he found himself confronting the classic midlife question: 'Is this all there is?' Rather than sinking into despair, the happiness expert found clarity and direction through Zen. 'Zen practice brought me back to the truth of just this moment,' he shared. Around 47, Waldinger hit a wall many people know well. It was a questioning phase, where success didn't feel as satisfactory as it used to. In search of answers, he reached a turning point when he stopped running from life's basic truths and started facing them head-on. Waldinger found clarity in a Zen chant that became his personal mantra: 'I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.' While that might sound grim at first, Waldinger found it freeing. 'Somebody is finally telling the truth,' he said. His takeaway was for people to stop sweating the small stuff and ask themselves a powerful question: 'Does this really matter?' Most of the time, it doesn't. During the panel, he shared a few simple steps for resetting your priorities when it comes to finding true meaning. Stop chasing happiness: Instead, invest in relationships and engage in what's meaningful to you. Try small, intentional acts of connection: It turns out a quick 10-minute call or even a text to someone you care about can go a long way. Research shows these simple moves help you stay connected and build what experts call a 'bedrock of social well-being.' Basically, the more you check in, the stronger your network, and your wellbeing. Explore mindfulness or meditation: These practices can help you connect with yourself, stay grounded, and appreciate the present moment. Don't ignore discomfort. Questioning your life's direction isn't a crisis, see it as an opportunity to find what is meaningful to you. Waldinger encourages asking yourself 'how would you like to spend your waking hours of the day?' As Waldinger sees it, the biggest myth is that happiness is a destination. According to him, it's not something you get by accumulating more; it's something that comes when you live with connection and purpose. 'You won't be happy all the time,' he says, 'but happiness is likely to find you more often.' So, the next time you feel like you're falling behind in the race for success, pause. Call a friend. Reflect on what truly matters. Because a life well lived might not be as quantifiable as we want it to be. Both research and human experience show it's built through moments of presence, purpose, and meaningful connections.
