The Importance of Social Connections
How important are your social connections?
Turns out, very.
Positive social connections have a means of enhancing both physical and psychological wellbeing. They create a bubble of connectedness, a safety net of sorts, that harness and harbour the very things that get you through life.
Whether it’s support, complementary or otherwise, enhancing in a positive way, social connections add weight to the feelings of meaning and even purpose in life.
Connection during crisis
It’s natural to feel out of sorts, especially during a crisis — when experiencing a difficult time; the knowing of someone there beside you (both literally and figuratively) can generate a sense of support and the feeling of not being alone to deal with the issue at hand. This adds to the feeling of resilience and courage, strength and healing.
Not many of us are willing to turn to social connections when experiencing something difficult. Some of us tend to wallow in our own space and thoughts and often think of it as a burden to unload the emotional jargon on someone we are close to — whether it’s a friend or family member. This could be a slight flaw in what makes us human, but the key here is to understand what it would be feel like to simply speak to someone, just speak even lightly of the emotional turmoil at hand.
Opening up can feel like a huge sense of relief, an unburdening of sorts, and can lift what feels like a great deal of weight off your shoulders. This does not mean you are downing it on the other person, but merely sharing information so that it can be analyzed by another point of view and perspective. Having a fresh perspective on something difficult can bring about a new sense of looking at the problem and even finding solutions, without having to deal with the pressure by yourself. This is where resilience and courage comes in, leading to ultimately finding strength and eventually healing through the experience.
Connection and wellbeing
Having positive and bountiful social connections can mean a life that is full of laughter and joy. Then again, there can be a handful of connections that can be toxic and add a negative tilt to this balance. Be mindful of who you keep close. Acknowledge the individuals that uplift you and put you down. Is there a reason as you to why you are still connected to those that make you feel anxious, sad, destructive, heavy and overall troublesome? Weigh in the pros and cons of keeping such individuals in your life and you’ll come to notice a connection between them and your overall wellbeing, especially your mental health.
Constantly having to listening to negative spouts from a friend, or a family member who loves to gossip and rant about one thing or the other can be tedious and put a chip on your shoulder. These are unnecessary connections to keep close. A certain distance to start with can be easy to maintain, and in doing so, will make you realize how much more at ease you can be without all that negativity. It might be a bit more difficult to handle a family member, but you always have the ability to speak up about this if you are by any means a close connection. Be honest, speak the truth and it will allow you to nurture social connections that will bring about a sense of value and purpose, that add to your overall wellbeing.
Connection and relationships
Good social connections can add to a sense of belonging, a sense of identity, and an almost therapeutic sense of support. When you feel confident around others and with yourself, this opens up the possibility of making almost important relationships in your life, especially with that special one.
A strong emotional connection is necessary when forming lifelong relationships that are meant to last. Of course, who is to say what will last and what won’t, but the idea is to remain positive and hopeful, right? If you’re someone looking for that ultimate relationship with a significant other, it’s important that you first establish good social connections, and also one with yourself. If you aren’t settled with you who are and your values and purpose in life, then how is it possible to do so with a significant other? It all starts with you.
Learn to prioritize your relationships as you do with yourself. Communicate. Establish boundaries if you need to. Although this is still somewhat a difficult time to adjust to, host virtual gathering or stay connected by means of social media platforms. Talk about the good things in life, share thoughts and ideals and dreams, make fun of each other, laugh, cry if need be and aim to form connections that will last a lifetime.
It won’t come easy for an extrovert, and I say this as someone who is slightly one herself. I enjoy being bundled up at home, in the comfort of my cozy nooks and surrounding by my favourite things, but I do understand and acknowledge the importance of social connections that enhance by life, and I do my best to maintain these connections as best I can. It isn’t rocket science to send a simple text in the morning, a note of positivity, and even another later in the day to check-in on how someone is doing. It’s the little things that go a long way.
A lack of social connection can be a detriment to your health so do yourself a favour and hone in on those who matter to you, those who are important to you and nurture these social connections in order to live a better, positive and bountiful life.
