Top 5 Fave Takeaways from the Global Flourishing Study

By Dana Kerford, Founder of URSTRONG

Every now and then, a research report lands in my inbox and I think… “YES. THIS.”

That was my reaction when I read about the Global Flourishing Study – one of the largest global studies ever conducted on what helps people truly thrive.

The study looks beyond happiness and asks a bigger question: What actually helps people flourish across their lifetime?

Spoiler alert… friendships play a huge role! And honestly? Our URSTRONG Schools are already doing so much of what this research confirms really matters. So, here are my Top 5 Fave Takeaways from the study:

⭐ Fave Takeaway #1: Relationships Are a Core Ingredient of a Flourishing Life

One of the clearest messages from the research is this: “Strong, supportive relationships are not optional extras – they are central to wellbeing and long-term flourishing.”

In the study, flourishing includes things like meaning, health, character and financial security… and close social relationships. Friendship isn’t a side note. It’s baked right in.

At URSTRONG, this is exactly why we teach kids how to create healthy, feel-good, GREEN-ZONE friendships. We don’t assume they’ll “just figure it out.” We give them a shared language of friendship, kid-friendly terms, so they can talk about what’s going on socially and make informed choices.

This is where tools like:

  • Friendship Fires™ (conflict = hurt feelings, misunderstandings, disagreements)

  • The Friend-o-Meter (how does this friendship actually feel?)

  • Inner-Ninja (how to treat yourself like a best friend first)
  • Kid-Friendly Strategies for Making Friends (like Super Introducer, Quick Question, Friendship Magnet, and Ask & Pass)

  • Being Kind-on-Purpose (because kindness isn’t accidental)

…become powerful. Kids learn that friendships take skill, not luck.

⭐ Fave Takeaway #2: Childhood Belonging Has Long-Term Impact

Another big insight from the Global Flourishing Study is how strongly childhood experiences of belonging and inclusion predict adult wellbeing.

People who felt socially supported as children were more likely to report:

  • stronger relationships

  • higher trust in others

  • greater overall flourishing later in life

And on the flip side… feeling like an outsider in childhood can linger.

This is why I feel such deep gratitude for URSTRONG Schools. By proactively teaching Friendology – not just reacting to problems – you’re creating environments where kids feel seen, equipped, and supported before friendship challenges escalate.

With skills-based lessons like, Be An Includer, kids are locking in these important relationship strategies. And, our URSTRONG Schools are wrapping around our monthly wellbeing themes like Kindness, Diversity, Community, and Empathy…reminding students that everyone belongs.

⭐ Fave Takeaway #3: Friendship Skills Support Learning (Not Compete With It)

Here’s something educators intuitively know and see in their classrooms every day – and this research strongly reinforces: “Children learn better when their social world feels safe and settled.”

When kids are stuck in Friendship Fires, worrying about exclusion, or unsure where they stand socially, learning becomes harder…impossible even. Attention drops. Anxiety rises. Engagement suffers. (This is exactly why I created a friendship skills curriculum way back in 2009 in the first place. My students couldn’t learn when they weren’t feeling good in their friendships! My heart hurt for them.)

When we teach kids friendship skills, we’re not taking time away from learning… we’re clearing the path toward it.

This is why Friendology lessons support academic outcomes:

  • fewer classroom conflicts

  • improved peer collaboration

  • greater confidence to participate

  • stronger sense of belonging

URSTRONG Schools aren’t choosing between wellbeing or academics. They are strengthening both. In fact, URSTRONG Schools are creating the BEST environments for children to flourish.

⭐ Fave Takeaway #4: Trust Is Built (and Friendology Helps Build It)

The Global Flourishing Study also highlights trust as a key contributor to flourishing… believing that people are generally kind, safe, and worth connecting with.

But trust doesn’t magically appear.

It’s built through everyday experiences like:

  • learning how to repair friendships

  • recognising unhealthy dynamics (Red-Zone Friendships)

  • understanding when to lean in or step back

  • knowing the difference between Mean-on-Purpose and accidental behaviour

This is where Friendology’s kid-friendly concepts really shine. Our Friendship Fact #3 teaches students that TRUST & RESPECT are the two most important qualities of a friendship. They learn and practise what trust looks like in-action. Our URSTRONG Schools don’t just tell kids that trust is important, they explicitly teach them what it looks like and how to show up for their friends.

⭐ Fave Takeaway #5: URSTRONG Schools Are Already Doing What the Research Recommends

And this might be my favourite takeaway of all…

The Global Flourishing Study doesn’t just tell us what matters – it validates the work URSTRONG Schools are already doing every day.

By prioritising friendship skills, our amazing schools are:

  • investing in long-term wellbeing

  • supporting better learning conditions

  • helping children build lifelong relationship skills

To every school teaching our Friendology friendship skills curriculum…
To every educator using the language of friendship daily…
To every leader who understands that relationships matter…

This research backs you up.

If the Global Flourishing Study reminds us of one simple truth, it’s this: A flourishing life is built through relationships. And when children are given the skills, language, and confidence to navigate friendships… they don’t just cope. They flourish. Thank you, URSTRONG Schools, for leading the way. 💛