This story by Barbara Fredrickson starts off with a great question,

Can you remember the last time you were in a public space in America and didn’t notice that half the people around you were bent over a digital screen, thumbing a connection to somewhere else?”

I know I am guilty of that, just as much as the next guy.

In today’s edition of I Wish I Wrote It, I bring you a great article that delves into research on the power of positive social contact. Fredrickson does not condemn people for spending too much time on their phones, rather, she explains why the more attuned to others you become, the healthier you become.

Among many great points, she covers:

Why our heart’s capacity for friendship obeys the biological law of “use it or lose it.”
What happens if we don’t regularly exercise our ability to connect face to face.
Why new parents may need to worry less about genetic testing and more about how their own actions — like texting while breast-feeding.

So, if you are reading this on your phone, enjoy the article but as soon as you are done, put your phone away and talk to someone around you.