What really makes for a good life? Money? Success? Genes?
The longest-running study on happiness says none of those top the list.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development started in 1938 and followed a group of 725 men from early years to old age.
Throughout the decades, their wives and children were included in the study.
The result? Not wealth, not fame, but connection was the biggest predictor of long life, good health, and true happiness.
The study found that married people lived longer.
When people had happy, strong relationships in their 50s, they were more likely to be healthier when they reached their 80s.
And maintaining quality relationships, whether with a significant other or a friend, proved to be more important than genetics, social class, or IQ.
The World Economic Forum says people who have meaningful connections with others are more likely to feel loved, have a sense of purpose, cope better with stress, and have better physical and mental health.
The takeaway: Check in with the people you care about. Your health and happiness may depend on it.