Experts explain that changing from self-centered goals to considering the well-being of others can positively influence the upcoming year. My New Year’s resolutions have consistently focused on one aspect: they revolved around myself. Some years I’ve committed to revisiting my high school French; other years I’ve resolved to stop impulse buying; and some years (fine, every year) I’ve assured myself I’d get to bed earlier. The aim has always remained the same: to become a better and happier version of myself. While self-improvement is valuable, experts suggest that focusing on our relationships with those around us can significantly enhance our happiness. Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy, an online platform that combines art and science to reshape our understanding of happiness, and author of “New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got It Wrong,” stated, “Our society has viewed happiness as an individual endeavor — the belief being that you achieve it on your own, for yourself, and without assistance.” Ms. Harrison mentioned that we often focus on personal goals that seem to appear out of nowhere, believing, “This will be the key to my happiness.” She proposed that we should focus on “considering happiness as a collective effort we build for one another.” Numerous studies, including one of the longest on human happiness, demonstrate that our relationships with others are essential for our well-being, helping to prevent depression, enhancing our physical health, and adding meaning to our lives. As you consider your goals for 2025, here are some ideas to focus on your connections with friends, family, and colleagues. Think about how you can assist others and who could benefit from your help. Emma Seppälä, a psychologist and research scientist affiliated with Yale and Stanford, distills decades of happiness research into a single statement: “The most content individuals, who also tend to enjoy longer and healthier lives, are those who lead lives marked by compassion and balanced with self-compassion.”
