Dr Pat Love speaking to the Rotary Club of Pagosa Springs, Colorado asked Rotarians to identify a malady which is more highly correlated with early morbidity than obesity, smoking and drug abuse and is also correlated with violence, careless acts and substance abuse.
The condition is “loneliness”. The greatest predictor of longevity is the closeness of social contacts.
Love presented five questions as an antidote to loneliness.
#1. Who Are You? Specifically, what are your core values, what do you stand for, what are the principals, traits that without which you would not be you. An example is Kindness something that you do daily and can affirm at the end of each day.#2. Are you connected? Are there at least three people in your life that show up when needed, are tuned in, they understand you, and their behaviour shows it.
#3. Are you in a community? Do you feel good about the community where you live? Do you have a sense of belonging, connectedness and security in your community?
#4. Are your talents being utilised in meaningful work? Is your work a job, a career or avocation? An avocation is a calling like who you are. Are your talents utilised in meaningful work? If your work is not meaningful, there is a missing element that contributes to a feeling of loneliness.
#5. Are you living out the purpose of your life as referred to by author Rick Warren in his book “The Purpose Driven Life”? One of his notable quotes is “Being successful and fulfilling your life purpose is not at all the same thing: you can reach all your personal goals, become a raving success by the standards of the world and still miss your purpose in this life.”
In closing, Pat stated that it is “smarter to strive for contentment than happiness.”
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