July is Social Wellness Month. What exactly is social wellness, you might ask? Well, social wellness is your ability to effectively interact and form and maintain relationships with others. And why is this important? The relationships you have with others help to shape your mental, physical, and emotional health. This is why embracing your social wellness is important for optimum health.
Establishing positive social habits can help you achieve Better Health. Here are some strategies that can help you embrace social wellness.
Make Connections
It doesn’t matter if it’s relationships with friends, family members, romantic partners, colleagues, or other members of your community, they all help to influence your well-being. It’s these connections with others that protect your health and, quite possibly, lengthen it. So be proactive and look for ways to get involved.
- Join a group that is focused on a hobby you enjoy, such as reading or painting
- Volunteer at your local library or animal shelter
- Join your church choir or community theater troupe
- Participate in neighborhood activities, like a park cleanup
Build Healthy Relationships
It’s one thing to have relationships, but it is another to have healthy relationships. Relationships aren’t easy. You have to work at them. There’s a lot that goes into developing and maintaining a healthy relationship. There’s some taking, but there is a lot of giving that must be made as well. A healthy relationship can significantly impact your life, improving your mental and physical well-being.
- Be honest and share your feelings
- Listen to others without judgment or blame
- Be willing to compromise
- Disagree with others respectfully
Get Active Together
Where you live and work can have a major impact on your involvement. Being active and socializing within your community can help create opportunities for you to connect with others. Be a leader and help drive your community to be more active.
- Start a walking or social group with friends, neighbors, and co-workers
- Participate in local planning groups to make your neighborhood safer for activities
- Consider joining a low- or no-cost exercise group within your community
- Try different community activities to find one that you enjoy
Take Care of Yourself
Many of us, if we’re not one already, will become caregivers at some point. Caring for someone else can be extremely rewarding, but it can also be highly stressful. The strain of caregiving can take a toll on your health and wellness. Therefore, it’s essential that you take care of yourself so you’re physically and mentally able to take care of someone else.
- Get organized with a daily routine
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
- Join a caregiver’s support group
- Keep up with your hobbies and interests
Keep Important People Close
We’re encouraging you to make new friends, but as the saying goes, “make new friends, but keep the old.” One of the best ways to embrace social wellness is by nurturing the existing relationships and friendships that you have. The people closest to you will help to provide mutual support when you need it.
- Make a point to pick up the phone
- Invite family and friends to join you for an outing or out for coffee to catch up
- Host a dinner party for your dearest and closest friends
- Teach others how to participate in one of your hobbies so you can enjoy together
Advantages of Social Wellness
Embracing your social wellness and doing all that you can to be connected with others will go a long way. No one wants to be alone. Research continues to show that individuals who have social support tend to have better health outcomes than those with a “low quantity or quality” of healthy relationships.
Staying social can help you:
- Live longer
- Respond better to stress
- Have healthier cardiovascular and endocrine systems
- Have stronger immunity
We all want to be happier and healthier… Well, it all starts with embracing your social wellness. So make it a priority and take the steps necessary to get and stay socially engaged.