The social dimension of wellness focuses on how we engage and interact with the world surrounding us, including other people, our culture, our community and even our environment. Many people believe that good physical, emotional and financial health are enough to sustain them, but without a healthy social component, many fall short of total wellness. We, as humans, not only need contact with others around us, but we actually crave that element of connection. Our ability to communicate our needs, wants, interests and ideas with others who support and encourage us is vital to this dimension.
Below are some suggestions for ways to increase your social well-being:
- Join a club/organization/sports team of interest to you, just for fun.
- Save some extra time for friends/family. Schedule a weekly or monthly “date” so you see each other regularly, or set a standard time for a phone call or video chat when distance impedes physical presence.
- Ask to join your friends or coworkers in activities or events you might not currently be a part of — expanding your circles with people you already know is a great way to bolster that circle.
- Strike up a conversation with a coworker or a stranger in line at the local store. If you have children, talk with parents of your children’s friends or classmates. You will never know if you share interests or connections to people if you don’t engage in conversation.
- Sit at a different lunch table at work and join in the general conversation. Don’t be afraid to break your routine.
- Consider volunteering at local organizations or pet shelters; even if you cannot afford a pet or your residency has pet restrictions, spending time with animals can help satisfy this dimension of wellness just as much as people can.
- Embrace diversity, be aware of your biases and try to overcome them, get out of your comfort zone to better understand others around you and don’t be afraid to ask genuine questions to help remove misconceptions.
- Learn to apologize wholeheartedly to someone you may have wronged or try to reach out to someone with whom you’ve lost touch over the years. Rekindle a bond that perhaps was once strong.
Would you like more guidance on social well-being, or other areas of the eight dimensions of wellness? The wellness professionals at BarnesCare are here to help. Contact BarnesCare for more information.
This is the second in a series of articles about the eight dimensions of wellness.