Social Connection

Paradoxically, in the time of hyper-connection, loneliness is growing while social interaction becomes virtual and superficial.  More than 70% of middle-aged Americans report through surveys that they have moderate to high levels of loneliness. 

There is strong evidence indicating that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and there are proven studies showing the correlation between Social Connection and Longevity.

Social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing and for acting as a buffer against mental illness for people of all ages.  Building stronger, wider social connections can help us feel happier and more secure, while giving us a greater sense of purpose.

If you haven’t done this yet, I recommend to watch Robert Waldinger’s TED talk (44 Million views) talking about Harvard’s longest study on happiness, describing the impact of social connection on longevity. 

Feeling loved and cared is the most valuable treasure of a human being. It doesn’t mean that we need strong relationships with hundreds of people, we can actually be lonely in a crowd.  This not about quantity but quality.  What really matters is to have a network that we know we can count on in any given situation.