July is Social Wellness Month, a time to focus on nurturing oneself and one’s relationships. Social wellness, or well-being, can be defined as one’s ability to effectively interact with those around him/herself and to create a support system that includes friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
Maintaining an optimal level of social wellness allows one to build healthy relationships with others. Social wellness also fosters a connection with those individuals, while contributing to one’s sense of belonging, which is important for optimal wellness.
Why is Social Wellness Important?
Around 20% of Americans feel isolated in their free time. Healthy relationships are a vital component of health. The health risks of being alone or isolated in one’s life are comparable to the risks associated with cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and obesity. Research shows that:
- People who have a strong social network tend to live longer.
- The heart and blood pressure of people with healthy relationships respond better to stress.
- Strong social networks are associated with a healthier endocrine system and healthier cardiovascular functioning.
- Healthy social networks enhance the immune system’s ability to fight off infectious diseases.
Nurture Your Relationships
The following concepts are instrumental in attaining a healthy and lasting relationship.
1. Become a master of commitment. It’s important to be aware of precisely what you are committing to so that you can really judge whether you have the capacity to follow through on the commitment.
2. Make commitments you can stand by. In a relationship, it is important to be honest and empathetic to each other’s feelings, hopes, and dreams.
3. Break the cycle of blame and criticism. It is important to play your part in relationship dynamics.
4. Shift your attention away from “fixing the other person” and onto more creative expressions for resolving conflict. Shifting the focus in this way will help to inject more positive energy into the relationship.
5. Become a master of verbal and nonverbal appreciation. Showing appreciation for others is critical to healthy relationships.
How Can I Grow My Social Network?
- Work out. Joining a gym or an exercise group allows you to meet new people while exercising.
- Take a walk with your pet. Starting a walking routine after dinner would not only give you another opportunity to be physically active, but it would also create more opportunities for you to meet your neighbors.
- Volunteer. Donate some of your time and hard work to a charity. You’ll feel good about the cause, and you’ll meet others with similar passions.
- Find others who share a hobby, such as hiking, painting, scrapbooking, running, etc.
