Most people would say that what they want from life is to be happy. But what is the best recipe for happiness?
The Study of the Good Life
Thanks to the 85-year Harvard Study of Adult Development, we now have compelling evidence about the source of happiness—and its powerful impact on health and longevity.
Directed by Robert Waldinger, MD, and Marc Schulz, PhD, and described in their book The Good Life: Lessons From the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness, this study has followed three generations—over 2,000 people—for eight and a half decades.
While many assume happiness comes from money, success, or status, this long-term research found otherwise: Happiness is rooted in social connectedness—in love and caring relationships.
Participants who invested in strong, supportive relationships were the happiest and the healthiest. To summarize:
“The study found that the people who stayed healthiest and lived longest were the people who had the strongest connections to others. The warmth of these connections had a direct positive impact on their health and well-being. Good relationships meant participants were less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis. Broader social networks and more social activity resulted in later onset and slower rates of cognitive decline. The study even found that married people lived longer—an average of 5–12 years longer for women and 7–17 years longer for men… The study also found that participants became happier as they aged.”¹
In short, happiness—and health and longevity—depend on cultivating and sustaining loving, supportive relationships. This means investing time and energy in others: spending meaningful time together, offering and receiving encouragement and respect, and expressing appreciation.
Challenges Corrections Staff Must Overcome to Maintain Supportive Social Connections
Correctional work poses serious obstacles to maintaining positive social connections. Over time, staff may develop a pessimistic worldview, expecting the worst from others and withdrawing socially. Shift work, overtime, and missed weekends isolate them further.
At work, employees cannot freely share personal information due to safety concerns, and many work separately from other staff. Training also reinforces emotional distance from incarcerated persons to avoid manipulation.
Regrettably, this emotional shutdown can carry over to home life. Trauma exposure can lead to emotional numbing, undermining the very relationships that sustain happiness. Several correctional officers have told me they realized something was wrong when they felt no compassion or tenderness toward loved ones in distress.
Rebuilding Connection and Happiness
Overcoming these barriers takes intentional effort—motivation, honesty, courage, and persistence. Strong relationships require skill: managing conflict, regulating anger, prioritizing time with loved ones, and maintaining balance despite job demands.
For some, preserving family relationships or personal health may even mean leaving the profession—and that choice, though difficult, can be an act of wisdom and courage.
Staff may also need to reconsider their stance toward incarcerated persons. Viewing them as both potentially dangerous and also as human beings helps prevent chronic hostility, which drains emotional energy and can spill into personal relationships.
The High Cost of Social Isolation
The evidence for connection is equally powerful in reverse. A meta-analysis² of 148 studies involving more than 308,000 participants found that people with strong social ties had a 50% greater likelihood of survival. When deeper measures of connectedness were used—such as involvement in family, friendship, or faith groups—the benefit rose to 91% increased likelihood of survival. The health risks associated with social isolation were comparable to those of smoking 15 cigarettes a day or consuming six alcoholic drinks daily.
So, let’s connect with one another as if our lives depended on it—because, according to the research, they do.
References
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: a meta-analytic review. PLoS Med, 7(7): e1000316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
