When Blue Magic sang "To get love you must give love/To keep love you must share love/To know love you must show your loving ways," little did they know that almost 50 years later researchers from Penn State would come to precisely the same conclusion.
Their study in PlosOne had 52 participants record their feelings about receiving love and expressing love over an eight-week stretch.
And lo and behold, the more people expressed love, the more love they felt in return — and the feelings of loving and being loved endured, fueling sustained happiness (an important component of good health).
In contrast, loneliness is a serious health hazard.
That's why it's important to form a posse. Having a group of people with whom you enjoy sharing thoughts and feelings and having fun reduces stress and chronic inflammation, and helps prevent premature aging.
Let your friends and family know you love them.
And remember you can express care for people you don't know by being spontaneously generous (opening a door or giving them a seat on a bus). Their appreciation of you is your reward for your loving action toward them.
To get started, volunteer at an organization you believe in; sign up for a class in whatever hobby you enjoy; make one call a week to a friend you aren't in touch with; or join an online forum that discusses topics of interest.
I promise, you'll love how lovely (and healthy) it makes you feel.