Sharing – The Importance of Deep Relationships

I’m sure many of you will not be surprised to read this:

“In one of the most thorough and prolonged behavioral studies ever conducted, Harvard University researchers surveyed and scrutinized a group of 724 men from 1939 to 2014, arriving at a simple yet instructive conclusion. Harvard professor Robert Waldinger, director of the center conducting the study, described it this way: “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.””

The question in 2020 is can we develop and maintain those deep relationships virtually? Dr. Ben-Shahar thinks we can, based on his anecdotal evidence from one of his online classes. I suspect we can too, but it’s going to look different and take some effort.

As he goes on to describe the article, what really matters are the deep, personal conversations. Online tools aren’t really designed for those. They are based more on snippets and posts/likes than real, deep, conversations. The kind you might have over a beer for an hour or two.

But, short of being able to do that, is there any reason we can’t connect virtually for those conversations? We used to do it over the phone, so it’s possible. We just have to work at it.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-art-whole-being/202005/the-importance-deep-relationships