Turning Adversity Into Opportunity

Strategy Number FiveEngage Others

We feel a lot healthier in trying times when we get support from others. Just having one supportive, stable relationship is an important condition for transcending adversity.¹³ Numerous research findings conclude that having friends enables people to live longer and happier lives.¹⁴ Neuroscientists are discovering that our brains are wired to connect.¹⁵

We feel the emotional pain of loss of a human connection in the same way that we feel physical pain from a broken bone. A broken heart is not just a metaphor. At the other end of the emotional scale, when other people around us become genuinely excited about something, we feel it. We feel it not only in our minds but also in our bodies. If you doubt this, just ...