🏁 Axios Finish Line: 85 years of studying joy

3 tips | Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Flipboard   Axios Finish Line By Mike Allen, Erica Pandey and Jim VandeHei ·Feb 15, 2023 Feb 15, 2023 Welcome back! Smart Brevity™ count: 309 words ... 1½ mins.     1 big thing: The most important ingredient for happiness Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   Eighty-five years ago, researchers at Harvard embarked on a decades-long study to figure out what really drives happiness, health and longevity. The results are in. 🖼️ The big picture: It's close relationships with family and friends — not wealth, exercise or success at work — that bring us the most joy and even lengthen our lives. Fun fact: When the Harvard study began in 1938, researchers selected 724 young people to follow throughout their lives. That group included former President John F. Kennedy, Harvard notes. ⚡ Flashback: As we've reported, Americans value family and work — but friendship often falls behind. Many of us have few or no close confidants. On top of that, there's a growing group of Americans who are aging without a spouse or a partner, any children or siblings. What to do: Think about improving your "social fitness," CNBC reports. It's not enough to just let romantic and familial relationships or friendships develop on their own. These need care, attention and exercise. Here are three tips, from earlier Finish Lines: ☎️ Check in. We way underestimate how much the simplest text or call means to our friends, family members and colleagues. ⏳ Find the hours. It takes about 90 hours to advance from casual pals to good friends, and it takes more than 200 hours to become confidants, research shows. 🔙 Go back in time. Our anxiety can prevent us from reaching back out to an old friend with whom we've lost touch. But reviving those dormant ties can do us a lot of good.     A message from Flipboard Stop scrolling social media for your news     If you're looking for quality stories recommended by real people who share your interests, Flipboard is the place to be. How it works: Pick from thousands of topics and save your favorite stories in your own magazines. Download the app here.     ✈️ Cali from the skies Photo: Frederick L. Enjoy this other-worldly snap from reader Frederick L., who writes: "I took this recent photo of the bay in Santa Clara County, California, as my flight was landing at the San Jose airport."   Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: