July is national social wellness month! If you’ve never heard of the term “social wellness”, it refers to the act of nurturing yourself and your relationships with others, including friends, family, and other important people in your life.
Optimum social wellness is achieved through connections with people, and giving and receiving support from the important people in your life. A strong social network means during times of struggle, challenge or need, you have people in your life that you can turn to for emotional and other support.
According to the University of Minnesota, “the health risks from being alone or isolated in one’s life are comparable to the risks associated with cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and obesity.”
They go on to say that research shows people who have solid social networks live longer, respond better to stress, have higher cardiovascular functions, and have healthier immune systems.
Connecting with other people is an important part of the human experience, and it should be cultivated and celebrated year-round! Forging connections with other people teaches you new things about yourself and others, and most importantly, enhances your quality of life.
If you’re looking to increase your personal social wellness in honor of social wellness month, consider trying a few of our suggestion below!
Work Out
Meeting people through a group workout or exercise class like Zumba or yoga is a great way to meet new people while also focusing on your physical health! You could even plan on going to these classes or carpooling with the new people you meet and support each other through your individual health journeys.
Reconnect
With how busy our modern-day lives are, sometimes it’s easy to let relationships that are important to us fall to the wayside. Carve out some time this month to invest in a relationship with a person you haven’t spoken to in a while. Whether it be a grandparent, cousin, family friend, old college roommates or a co-worker from your last job, pick up the phone or drop them a line to catch up! They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness.
Pet a 4-legged Friend!
Pets count during social wellness month too! Spend some quality time with your pet, a friend’s pet, or go to the shelter and spend some time with the animals that are looking for their forever home. Better yet, take your dog to a dog park and introduce yourself and your four-legged friend to other people and their pets! Before you know it, everyone will have someone new to talk to (or to play tug-of-war with!).
Volunteer
Volunteering is a sure-fire way to meet new people, and help people who may be in need. Getting involved in your community means you can meet people who live near you, and you can get to know like-minded people who are interested in or concerned about the same things you are. Common ground is an easy conversation starter for people with social anxiety or have trouble starting conversations!
Thank you for visiting CheerfulHearts by LauraBeth Ryan, a person who can help you with social wellness and online life coaching. We hope that you’ve found this blog helpful in taking the first step towards social wellness! If you or someone you know needs a personal empowerment coach, contact LauraBeth today.
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