For many people, planning for the future starts with money. But there's another part of your future worth planning for — and it starts with staying connected. Strong social connections are positively correlated with cognitive health, reduced risk of serious illness, and a longer life. Loneliness, by contrast, has been found to be equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.1
Social connection, however, is something many of us leave to chance — something that just happens (or doesn't), rather than something we actively plan for. That's exactly what our Social Connection Action Planner is designed to change.
Written by Ken Stern, Founder of the Longevity Project and author of Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives, this planner helps you think through the relationships, activities, and places that can keep you connected at every stage of life. Whether you're early in your career, navigating mid-life, or planning for — or living in — retirement, the best time to start building your social connection plan is now.
1. Planning for social connection
Social connection takes intention — the same kind of planning you bring to other parts of your life. What does a socially connected future look like for you, and what can you do today to move toward it?
Sample action: Identify one person in your life — a friend, advisor, or trusted family member — who can serve as a sounding board as you think through the next chapter.
2. Work
Work is one of the most natural sources of daily connection, purpose, and structure. But work changes over time — and it's worth thinking about how to protect the sense of connection it provides as circumstances shift.
Sample action: Consider how work currently contributes to your sense of connection and purpose. If that were to change — through a new role, a move to remote work, or eventually retirement — what else could take its place?
3. Volunteering
Volunteering is one of the most accessible paths to social connection. Research shows it can reduce loneliness and support overall well-being, and the benefits grow the more time you invest.
Sample action: Think of one cause or community you care about and look up one local volunteer opportunity this week. You don't have to commit — just explore.
4. Lifelong learning
Learning keeps the mind active and connects you with other curious people — and it’s never too early or too late to make it a priority. Many states offer free or reduced tuition for adults over age 60 or 65, and more than 120 universities are home to Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs) for older learners.
Sample action: Look up one learning opportunity near you — a community college class, an OLLI program, or a local workshop — and put it on your radar for the months ahead.
5. Hobbies
Research shows hobbies are associated with reduced stress, increased social connection, and personal growth. The key is finding activities that are naturally social — ones that put you in regular contact with other people — and making time for them.
Sample action: Think of one activity you enjoy — or have always wanted to try — and explore whether there's a group or club near you that shares the same interest.
6. Intergenerational relationships
Adults with strong intergenerational relationships are three times as likely to report being happy2 — yet Americans are more likely to have a friend of a different race than one who is ten years older or younger. Building relationships across generations is one of the most rewarding things you can do for your own well-being.
Sample action: Consider someone in your life — at work, in your family, or in your community — who is significantly younger or older than you, and make a point to spend more time with them.
7. Embracing aging
Your mindset about aging may matter more than you think. Research from Yale shows that the difference in life expectancy between those with the most positive views of aging and those with the most negative views of aging can exceed eight years.3
Sample action: Notice the language you use when talking about getting older. Challenge one assumption you hold about aging that may not be accurate — or helpful.
8. Where we live
Your community shapes your daily opportunities for connection. Whether you're putting down roots, navigating a move, or thinking about where you want to age, the question is the same: does your community support the social life you want?
Sample action: Make a short list of what matters most to you in a community — access to people, activities, family, or outdoor space — and ask whether your current home and neighborhood support those things.
Each of these areas offers a meaningful place to start. Together, they add up to something bigger — a life that's rich in connection and purpose, at any age. Staying connected is a lifelong endeavor. The earlier you approach it with intention, the stronger your foundation becomes. This planner is designed to meet you where you are — whether you're building new connections, strengthening existing ones, or simply thinking more intentionally about the role relationships play in your life.
Download the Social Connection Action Planner to explore each focus area in depth — with research-backed insights, key questions, and practical action steps to help you build and strengthen the connections that carry you through life.
1Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). 2023. Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. PubMed. Washington (District of Columbia): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf.
2Vaillant, George E. 2008. Aging Well. Little, Brown Spark.
3Levy, Becca. 2022. Breaking the Age Code. HarperCollins.
Corebridge Financial is not affiliated with the Longevity Project or Ken Stern.
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