Happiness expert Neil Pasricha shares one happiness hack you can use three times a day to combat loneliness in his recent column for the Toronto Star.
Neil Pasricha is the bestselling author of The Happiness Equation, a step-by-step guide that illustrates how to improve your time, your career, your bottom line, your relationships, and ultimately (of course), your happiness.
In his Toronto Star article Neil says there is a simple step we can all implement everyday to increase happiness and solve loneliness — never eat alone. Below is an excerpt from the article, read the whole piece here.
An Oxford study involving 8,000 people found that approximately 25 per cent of people eat meals alone most of the time and that eating alone causes unhappiness. The study found someone who always eats meals alone had a “living well score” of 7.9 points lower than someone who never sits down to eat alone. To give you perspective, having a mental health condition lowered scores by 8.5 points, which means that eating alone is almost as debilitating.
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So, what do we do? Take risks.
Invite a colleague out to lunch. Host a dinner party with the neighbours on your street you’d like to know. Throw out an impromptu dinner invite tonight to 15 friends and happily settle for the three who can make it. Start chatting with someone at the food court. Hang out in coffee shops with communal tables.
Even Loblaws is steeping into the issue with President’s Choice actually declaring an Eat Together Day on Friday, June 22 to highlight the importance of sharing meals with one another.
How do I know about the event? Because I just had dinner with an old friend who mentioned it. Eating with others allows us to expand minds, palettes, and communities… all at the same time.
So, do what I do.
Ask for two forks with the poutine next time.
Interested in learning more about Neil and what he can bring to your next event? Email [email protected].