تمرین مکالمه

Connection Increases Longevity

According to one survey, a whopping 80% of millennials say that one of their greatest desires is to have a lot of money.

How many millennials say that one of their greatest desires is to have a lot of money? A whopping 80% of millennials say that one of their greatest desires is to have a lot of money.

And 50% want to be famous.

Do 50% want to be famous? Yes, 50% want to be famous.

Are they on to something or is this desire misguided?

What is the question? The question is, “Are they on to something or is this desire misguided?”

According to a Harvard University study on human health and happiness, they are way off base.

What was the Harvard University study on? The Harvard University study was on human health and happiness. Are they off base? Yes, they are way off base.

In 1928, researchers started tracking the lives of a group of 724 men from all walks of life.

When did researchers start tracking? In 1928, researchers started tracking.

What did they track? They tracked the lives of a group of 724 men. Where were they from? They were from all walks of life.

They are still following the lives of the 60 surviving members today.

How many surviving members are there today? There are 60 surviving members today. Are the researchers still following their lives? Yes, the researchers are still following their lives.

Their wives and children (2,000 of them!) are now part of the study as well.

Who is now part of the study as well? Their wives and children are now part of the study as well. How many children are part of the study? 2,000 children are part of the study.

With the wealth of information that they gathered, they came to some very important conclusions.

What did they gather? They gathered a wealth of information. Did they come to some trivial conclusions? No, they did not come to some trivial conclusions. They came to some very important conclusions.

Three things stand out.

How many things stand out? Three things stand out.

First, social connections increase our happiness, physical health, and lifespan.

What increases our happiness? Social connections increase our happiness.

What else do they increase? They also increase physical health and lifespan.

Unfortunately, 1 in 5 Americans says that they are lonely.

Does 1 in 5 Americans say that they are sociable? No, 1 in 5 Americans does not say that they are sociable. 1 in 5 Americans says that they are lonely.

Second, it is not about the number of social connections that one has, it’s about the quality of those relationships.

Is it about the number of social connections one has? No, it is not about the number of social connections one has. What is it about? It is about the quality of those relationships.

They found that the men who were most satisfied in their relationships at 50 years old were the healthiest at 80 years old.

Who did they find to be the healthiest at 80 years old? They found that the men who were most satisfied in their relationships at 50 years old were the healthiest at 80 years old.

In fact, relationship quality was a better indicator of future health than the usual things, like cholesterol.

What was a better indicator of future health? Relationship quality was a better indicator of future health. Is cholesterol a usual indicator of future health? Yes, cholesterol is a usual indicator of future health.

Not only that, at 80 years, people’s aches and pains affected their mood less if they were in a happy relationship.

What did people’s aches and pains affect less if they were in a happy relationship? People’s aches and pains affected their moods less if they were in a happy relationship.

Third, having good relationships affected their brains, too.

What affected their brains too? Having good relationships affected their brains, too.

The men who felt they could count on their partners when times got hard, had sharper memories as they grew older.

Who had sharper memories as they grew older? Men who felt they could count on their partners when times got hard had sharper memories as they grew older.

Robert Waldinger, the fourth director of this 80-year-old study, is quick to point out that a good, satisfying relationship does not mean that the couple doesn’t fight.

Who is Robert Waldinger? Robert Waldinger is the fourth director of this 80year-old study. Does a good, satisfying relationship mean that the couple doesn’t fight? No, a good, satisfying relationship doesn’t mean that the couple doesn’t fight.

Often, there was plenty of bickering within the healthy couples.

What was there plenty of within the healthy couples? There was plenty of bickering within the healthy couples.

But they knew they would be there for each other.

What did they know? They knew they would be there for each other.

And it’s not just romantic relationships that matter.

Is it just romantic relationships that matter? No, it’s not just romantic relationships that matter.

Family, friends, and community are important too.

What else is important? Family, friends, and community are important too.

Recent studies provide some insight into how to maintain healthy relationships.

What provides some insight? Recent studies provide some insight. What do they provide insight into? They provide insight into how to maintain healthy relationships.

Relationship satisfaction tends to be higher when you express gratitude for your partner.

Does relationship satisfaction tend to be higher when you hide your gratitude for your partner? No, relationship satisfaction does not tend to be higher when you hide your gratitude for your partner. Relationship satisfaction tends to be higher when you express gratitude for your partner.

Open communication, even about the hard things, is also connected to healthy relationships.

Is poor communication connected to healthy relationships? No, poor communication is not connected to healthy relationships. Open communication is connected to healthy relationships. Does that include communication about the hard things? Yes, that includes communication about the hard things.

And, it’s important to make time for play!

What else is important? It’s important to make time for play!

Couples who experience exciting and enjoyable activities together, tend to stay together.

Who tends to stay together? Couples who experience exciting and enjoyable activities together, tend to stay together.

Waldinger suggests livening up stale relationships by doing new things together.

Who suggests livening up stale relationships? Waldinger suggests livening up stale relationships. Does he suggest livening up stale relationships by doing the same old thing? No, he does not suggest livening up stale relationships by doing the same old thing. He suggests livening up stale relationships by doing new things together.

He also suggests simple things like replacing screen-time with people-time, taking walks together, having date-nights, and reaching out to resolve that long-standing family feud.

What does he suggest replacing screen-time with? He suggests replacing screen-time with people-time. Does he suggest taking walks together and having date-nights? Yes, he suggests taking walks together and having datenights.

Like the millennials who were surveyed, many of the men of the Harvard study initially sought achievement and wealth as young men.

What did many of the men of the Harvard study initially seek as young men? Many of the men of the Harvard study initially sought achievement and wealth as young men. Who was this like? This was like the millennials who were surveyed.

As it turns out, that’s not what life is all about.

Is that what life is all about? No, as it turns out, that’s not what life is all about.

It’s about the relationships that we cultivate.

What’s it about? It’s about the relationships that we cultivate.

It’s about connection.

Is it about separation? No, it’s not about separation. It’s about connection.

And it’s about being there for each other.