If You Want to Live to 100, Here's the Surprising Thing to Prioritize

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As we age, there is plenty of emphasis on important actions, like exercising, eating well and making doctor appointments. While these proactive measures certainly help with living long and aging well, there is one surprising factor of longevity that experts wish more people would prioritize.

After a 10-year journey of studying positive psychology, Stephanie Harrison, author of New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That's Got It Wrong ($28, released on May 14, 2024), is here to share important insights about living long, fulfilling lives—including the way that contentment, positivity and connections with others impact longevity.

Related: If You Want To Live to 100, Aging Experts Say You Should Take Up This Hobby ASAP

A Surprising Factor of Longevity, According to a Well-Being Expert

According to Harrison, based on the available research, happiness actually impacts longevity a lot more than we might realize.

"Some of the most compelling research into happiness and longevity comes from the Harvard Grant study, one of the longest-term studies that followed a group of men for over eighty years," Harrison tells Parade. "Researchers discovered that good relationships are strongly correlated with physical health and well-being."

Because happiness and solid connections in your life make such a positive difference in aging—it's also important to acknowledge how the absence of these factors can negatively impact us as we grow older.

Related: 11 Phrases That Signal a Person's Lonely, According to Psychologists

"Some studies have found that being lonely is as dangerous to your health as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day," Harrison explains. "It’s associated with a greater risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke and premature death."

So, it makes sense that being around others and having close relationships with them is essential for a long life.

After all, in a previous conversation with Parade, Dr. Elise Eifert Freeman, PhD, pointed to research showing that people with larger social networks were 45% less likely to die prematurely than people who didn’t have a social network. “People who have more social support tend to have enhanced mental health, cardiovascular health, immunological functioning, cognitive performance, resilience, life satisfaction, stress response and more,” she shared.

Related: The #1 Unexpected Trick to Feeling Happy—Even When the Odds Are Stacked Against You

How To Prioritize Happiness

"I think that the perception that happiness is unrealistic or unattainable is grounded in the way that we conceptualize it," Harrison tells Parade. "Many of us have come to believe that happiness is a goal that you can achieve: if you can just do all of the right things, in the right ways, then you will ‘achieve’ happiness and experience a perpetual state of joy or contentment."

"But that’s not how it works," she continues. "True happiness comes from crafting a life that is authentic, purposeful and connected. It’s not an end outcome; it’s a way of being. When we have an accurate understanding of happiness, we can see that it’s much more accessible. We can look around each day and ask, 'How can I treat myself with kindness and compassion?' or 'How can I help someone else?' or 'What can I do to connect with a person I love?' These are the moments of true happiness that add up to create a happy and meaningful life."

Related: Research Shows This Simple Tweak Could Add 7.5 Years to Your Life

Benefits of Prioritizing Happiness

"Small changes can have ripple effects in so many areas of your life," Harrison explains. "For example, connecting with other people won’t just benefit your physical health, but it will also support your emotional health by helping you to experience positive emotions. These positive emotions, in turn, have what’s called a ‘broaden-and-build’ effect, building resources that help you to be more creative and more resilient. Those attributes can help you to work towards your goals, succeed at work and contribute in meaningful ways to the world around you."

Related: How to Be Happier in 31 Days, According to Mental Health Experts

True Happiness vs. Toxic Positivity

"Toxic positivity is the result of 'Old Happy' and the way that it pressures us to pursue perfection," Harrison explains. "A perfect person doesn’t struggle or feel difficult emotions. As a result, we think that these experiences and emotions are ‘bad’ because they get in the way of our pursuit of happiness."

But that's not the reality.

"True positivity is the practice of accepting your difficult experiences and emotions and trying, whenever possible, to learn from them," Harrison continues. "Forcing yourself to deny your feelings or ignore your difficulties doesn’t help you; attending to those experiences with compassion is what will help you to understand them, cope with them, and move forward from them."

And that will help you live a long, healthy life as well.

Next: The #1 Lesson I Learned About Longevity From My Grandma Who Lived To Be 99

Source

Stephanie Harrison is the creator of the New Happy philosophy. Her work has been featured in publications such as CNBC, Fast Company, Forbes, and Harvard Business Review.

She is the founder of The New Happy, a company helping individuals, companies, and communities apply this philosophy in their lives. The New Happy’s art, newsletter, podcast, and programs reach millions of people around the world every month.

She has a Masters Degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, she was the Director of Learning at Thrive Global.

Connect with her here:
- thenewhappy.com
- @newhappyco
- @stephaniehson