I feel very fortunate to meet so many wonderful parents in my Pumpkin Pickle community, and some have become friends – not an outcome I’d expected!
Connecting people, it turns out, brings me such joy; just bringing two people together that can provide each other support, trust and love is one of the many advantages of our lovely community – but it turns out there’s also some fascinating research behind this too!
A post I saw from Dr Rangan Chatterjee, shared study results demonstrating the scientific benefits of human social connection looking at those parts of the world where humans live longest and happiest. Whilst diet is a factor, turns out that social connection or community support is a bigger influence on our lives. Robust scientific data confirms that social connection is the single strongest predictor of human happiness and life satisfaction. The longest study comes from Harvard which started in 1938, where a group of researchers began tracking the lives of 268 students. It’s the longest-running study of adult development ever conducted, and after 85yrs of data, with participants now from the original cohort and their children and grandchildren, the conclusion is striking in its simplicity: the quality of our close relationships is the single most powerful determinant of whether we live healthy, happy, long lives.
Study ref: Waldinger, R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Simon & Schuster.
I’ve learnt so much about myself from my group, like the importance of boundaries, the impact of being kind to others and showing your most vulnerable side with people you trust, and that relationships can change like the seasons, depending on your stage of life.
If you’re reading this and found a good social connection in my class then let them know how much your appreciate them filling your cup. If you’re new to Pumpkin & Pickle then I hope I can help you find your person.
Recipe this month: Banana Traybake