What Actually Makes Us Happy? Lessons From An 85-Year Study

07/08/2025 27 min

Listen "What Actually Makes Us Happy? Lessons From An 85-Year Study"

Episode Synopsis

Dr. Robert Waldinger shares insights from the Harvard Study of Adult Development on relationships, happiness, and living a longer, healthier life.Dr. Robert Waldinger shares powerful findings from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest study on happiness. He explains why quality relationships are the key to a longer, healthier life, how they protect both our bodies and brains, and simple daily practices anyone can use to strengthen social connections and wellbeing.Dr. Robert Waldinger is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, Zen priest, and professor at Harvard Medical School. He directs the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study on human happiness and health, and is the co-author of The Good Life. Through his research and teachings, Dr. Waldinger shows how authentic, meaningful relationships are the cornerstone of wellbeing, resilience, and longevity.Website: https://www.robertwaldinger.com/