Developing relationships that nourish your soul - upgrading your social wellbeing

Upgrading your social wellbeing

If I say the phrase ‘social wellbeing’, what does it mean to you? It’s one of those buzz phrases that has entered our language in recent times. To me, it’s spending time with loved ones - nurturing those relationships, enjoying the enrichment they bring to our life. It’s forming connections with people around me and becoming embedded in my community. As human beings we all have an innate need to belong and to feel part of something bigger. Upgrading our social wellbeing means that we are taking the time to focus on this so it flourishes and today I thought I’d share some simple steps you can take to do this.

1. Being sociable from afar

As wonderful as it is to be in the same room as someone, it isn’t always possible. In the absence of face to face contact, draw on the other options we have available. How about a FaceTime with a friend who lives far away? A Skype chat with a family member living overseas? Or how about a handwritten note to someone special, as a nice surprise amongst the bills and junk mail that normally lands on our doorsteps?! However you reach your loved one, the benefits will be wonderful.

2. Define your boundaries

In order to have healthy relationships with others, we must first recognise our own boundaries. We all know how we want to be treated and what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour towards us. We know what we are happy to do and what is unacceptable. We also know what kind of people we like to associate with – those who reflect our values and goals. Surrounding yourself with people who respect your boundaries and align with who you are as a person truly enriches your life.

3. Volunteer your time

Using your space time to help others is a wonderful way to boost your wellbeing – it improves your confidence, boosts your self-esteem, increases your happiness, and so much more. Helping others gives you a sense of purpose and satisfaction like nothing else. Aside from all this, it is also a fantastic way to meet people from all different backgrounds and potentially make some wonderful new friends. After all, strangers are just friends we haven’t met yet, right?

4. Explore the great outdoors

We all know the benefits of getting out into nature and exploring all that our wonderful country has to offer. How about doing that with a friend? You could set up a regular walk with a neighbour. Or how about joining the National Trust with your partner or children? For just a few pounds a month you could have access to a plethora of amazing historic houses and gardens to explore with your loved ones. Get some exercise and vitamin D whilst exploring our history and making some amazing memories with loved ones. Nature has been a real source of peace and solace for me over the past year, so I really recommend its healing energy, and having someone by your side to share it with makes it even better. Plus you might be able to show each other some exciting new places to discover.

5. Explore new hobbies

Participating in hobby clubs and groups is a fantastic way to boost your social wellbeing. It’s a double whammy – doing the things you enjoy with likeminded people. It is easier to foster new social connections when you have a common interest so, if you’re a little more hesitant about social situations, joining a club is a great place to start. Talking of exploring hobbies, how about joining me at one of my Adult Kolooring classes? They are online via Zoom and offer a brilliant opportunity to mindfully relax whilst meeting some lovely people. You are always welcome!

6. Wellness in the workplace

We spend so much of our lives at work that the social side of our work lives is just as important as our social lives outside of it. As adults the workplace is one of the key sources of new friendships. Try chatting to a new person every day – those water cooler conversations are the basis on which many fabulous friendships are formed! Drop a friendly email to someone you’ve chatted to before and see if they’d like to grab lunch. See if there’s a mentorship scheme you can sign up to. And if you’re working from home? Make sure you’re reaching out to your colleagues. Pick up the phone, call them on Zoom, send them that email. Join in with any online social events that you can too. Another hot tip from me is to leave the house and work from a café once a week. Sitting amongst people can make you feel part of something, and you’ll be surprised how many people you’ll chat to whilst you’re out and about.

Go ahead this week and nurture those connections that make our lives so wonderful.