The Art and Science of Connection

Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier

By: Kasley Killam

Narrated by: Cindy Kay

A groundbreaking redefinition of what it means to be healthy that introduces the need for social health—the part of wellbeing that comes from feeling connected—to truly flourish.

Exercise. Eat a balanced diet. Go to therapy. Most wellness advice is focused on achieving and maintaining good physical and mental health. But Harvard-trained social scientist and pioneering social health expert Kasley Killam reveals that this approach is missing a vital component: human connection.

Relationships not only make us happier, but also are critical to our overall health and longevity. Research shows that people with a strong sense of belonging are 2.6 times more likely to report good or excellent health. Perhaps even more astonishingly, people who lack social support are up to 53% more likely to die from any cause. Yet social health has been overlooked and underappreciated—until now.

Just as we exercise our physical muscles, we can strengthen our social muscles. Weaving together cutting-edge science, mindset shifts, and practical wisdom, Killam offers the first methodology for how to be socially healthy. An antidote to the loneliness epidemic and an inspiring manifesto for seeing wellbeing as not only physical and mental, but also social, The Art and Science of Connection is a handbook for thriving.

In this essential book, you will:

• Learn a simple yet powerful framework to understand, evaluate, and bolster your social health.
• Discover the exact strategy or habit you need, as well as research-backed tips, to cultivate and sustain meaningful connection now and throughout your life.
• Glean actionable insights to develop a sense of community in your neighborhood, at work, and online from a spirited group of neighbors in Paris, the CEO of a major healthcare company, and an artificially intelligent chatbot.
• Get an insider look at the innovative ways that doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, architects, government leaders, and everyday people are catalyzing a movement toward a more socially healthy society.

The Art and Science of Connection will transform the way you think about each interaction with a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor, and give you the tools you need to live a more connected and healthy life—whether you are an introvert or extrovert, if you feel stretched thin, and no matter your age or background. Along the way, Killam will reveal how a university student, a newlywed, a working professional, and a retired widow overcame challenges to thrive through connection—and how you can, too.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

A good reminder

I liked the different categories she provided and how each could flourish at the local and macro level. Overall a good reminder/introduction how being social is part of your and society’s health.

Let’s Connect

I have a new understanding of connectivity that I was not expecting. Thank you for sharing your experience, insights, and research.

Social Health Movement

I think this is such an important topic that really needs to be addressed more now than ever, coming out of the pandemic. As an introvert myself I found Killam to be very motivating in evaluating my own social health. The exercises made me notice behaviors about myself that I didn’t know before. I think improving social health is not an easy task especially for introverts.

The book offered a perspective not previously defined although existing for years.

I liked the opportunity to expand thinking about leading and living a happy life. I enjoyed the real world examples shared and the non judgemental manner in which it was expressed.