Wendy Zuckerman

Interesting.

And what did you find generally that if you tend to avoid things?

Let me guess.

It's not good.

It doesn't go well.

Now, so you mentioned that with these relationships, they don't have to be romantic.

And I want you to tell me a little more about that.

In this study, what did you find?

And in the study, there were some people who were married, but still didn't, their partner wasn't that person that they would call in the middle of the night.

Exactly.

Right?

After the break, how folks in this study overcame a difficult childhood.

Plus, does having kids make you happy?

Coming up...

Welcome back today on the show, What Makes Us Happy?

Research shows that part of the reason that some of us are happier than others is genetics.

That is, there are those of us that are just kind of wired to be happier.

But still, if this is something that you want to work on in your life to boost your happiness meter a little, there is some wiggle room.

And Professor Bob Waldinger and his team at Harvard have found that there is something we can try to do to bump up our happiness meter, which is to build relationships, all kinds of relationships, not just romantic, but friendships too.

And so I asked Bob, how has knowing this changed you?