08/27/2026
In 1938, Harvard researchers began following 724 men from very different backgrounds—Harvard students, and boys growing up in disadvantaged Boston neighborhoods.
Over the decades, researchers studied their health, work, relationships, mental health, and life satisfaction.
One of the clearest lessons?
Strong, supportive relationships are deeply connected to living a happier, healthier life.
Not the number of people you know. The quality of the relationships you build.
People who were more socially connected tended to be happier and healthier. Chronic loneliness and isolation were associated with worse outcomes.
There’s a lesson here for our kids, too.
We spend a lot of time preparing them to achieve.
But learning to make friends, communicate, work through conflict, support others, and belong to a community may be some of the most important skills they ever develop.
A good life isn’t built alone.
Invest in your health. Invest in your growth. And invest in your relationships.