Deepening Relationships and Defending Against Loneliness in 2026
This holiday season was a little bit slower than we’ve experienced in the past few years; families are growing and traditions evolving, but this gave us the opportunity to take a step back, and slow down just a bit more. Turns out, that’s exactly what we all need once in a while. We had just a little bit more time to lean in and enjoy the kids and each other, to sit and listen, to play. Time to focus on deepening our personal relationships and avoid the trap of turning inward and falling prey to loneliness when things get busy and chaotic.
I think there is a temptation to overdo or misunderstand the idea of “self-care,” to slip towards a space of individualism and turn away from community and relationships when we’re feeling overworked and stressed. I might argue that those times—when we’re feeling overwhelmed and anxiety is growing inside of us—are the very times we should seek closeness with loved ones, whether it be friends, family, or even our co-workers. Our innate human drive seeks community and personal relationships, and this may very well be rooted in a survival mechanism. When looking through the lens of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, our most basic need has always been safety. Though we may no longer need a village to keep us safe from warring tribes, a sense of community and active personal relationships still impact our overall health and wellbeing in a positive way.
There continues to be strong research that shows the ties between positive social interaction on individual health and longevity. Ideally, we build strong relationships at home, work, and in our community. Through shared interest groups, we’re able to stay both physically active and drive cognitive stimulation. This can look like a running club, your workout crew from your gym, a pickle ball, tennis, or golf league—the options are endless. The benefits of the physical activity are obvious, but the benefits of the social interaction may be just as important. Additionally, seeking out a group or organization linked with your spiritual practices can be extremely beneficial by providing an environment that supports both positive relationships and—maybe even more importantly—an opportunity to serve others and serve something bigger than ourselves. The human condition gains significant benefits from taking part in physical acts of serving the community by giving our time and energy towards serving a purpose. These activities trigger a release of a chemical cocktail of what are known as “feel good” chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin in our bodies and reduce our stress hormone cortisol.
So, in 2026, let’s actively seek out connectedness and work to deepen relationships with those that we already have, or maybe it’s time to seek out new ones. Let’s find a community where we can be our authentic selves, where we can take part in “self-care” by avoiding loneliness and instead lean into finding purpose and love, and hopefully serve others along the way. As we say here at Longevity, Relationships Matter, Consistency is Key, and Mindset is Everything. Let’s make 2026 the year of community and service to others!
Cheers and Happy New Year!
If these ideas of relationships, community, and service interest you, here is an article from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health that references some of the research referenced above:
https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/the-importance-of-connections-ways-to-live-a-longer-healthier-life/
Also, here is a quick read on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and his addition of Trancendence:
