What will most help you lead a long happy and healthy life? Is it making lots of money? Is it a great job that you enjoy? Perhaps it's fame. If you ask a young person, many are likely to give you one of those answers. Or possibly all three.
Some cultures put more importance on work and money than others. Americans canbe obsessed withtheir jobs and making money. They might feel the need to make lots of money for education, medical care, homes and cars. But it's not just about the money. For many Americans, selfworth is linked to our professional success or failure.
We could learn about what makes people happy, and what does not, by studying people over the course of their lives. For almost 80 years, Harvard Medical School researchers have been doing just that. The Harvard Study of Adult Development is one of the most comprehensive studies in history. Since 1938, Henry, one of its professor has followed the lives of a group of men from their teen years to old age. Later, he began to follow their wives and children as well. The study finds that wealth, social position and an important job title do not necessarily lead to health and happiness.
Robert Waldinger is the current director of the study. He is a professor at Harvard Medical School. Waldinger shared some of the findings with a Harvard Gazette reporter. He said, "The surprising finding is that our relationships and how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health." He added, "Taking care of your body is important, but tending to your relationships is a form of selfcare too."
