We interact with people every day. It can be our family, friends, neighbor, or anyone. Being able to interact and connect with others is an integral part in what makes us all humans.
When we think of our wellbeing, people are part of our personal wellbeing. How we interact and communicate with others, empathize, create safe spaces with our community, and be individuals who promote kindness all helps us mentally, spiritually, and physically.
Making sure to take the time to reach out and connect with others is incredibly important for our mental health, not only because it helps us reduce stress but also because it can prevent loneliness. Feeling lonely can lead to an increased risk of depression, stress, anxiety and low self-esteem. That’s why it is really important to try and stay connected to others to lift our spirits. Close relationships with friends and family can add up to 7 years to our lives so it really is very good for you to keep in touch.
It’s good to share thoughts, worries and problems with friends as this can help keep things in proportion and help you to develop a stronger sense of meaning and direction in your life. Sharing difficulties with a friend can also help reduce their emotional impact and can lead to new ideas about how to tackle those difficulties. Knowing that support is available from a friend or family increases your feelings of security and helps to protect you against stress.
Most important of all is the simple pleasure of being in company with other people that you like. Spending time not just sharing your stories but listening to others can often lead to laughter and to taking part in activities that raise the spirits and provide a distraction from the more serious side of life.
People who have one or more close friendships are happier. It doesn’t seem to matter if we have lots of close friends or only one. What seems to matter most is how often we share our personal feelings with a friend or relative. Being able to express genuine interest in what other people say and responding in encouraging ways is a powerful way to build relationships and feed positive emotions.
You will explore in the People Module ways to help build your relationship with others and learn how interactions with others not only helps you, but also helps your entire community and world.
Try it Out
Think of a relationship you have, it can be a friend, a sibling, or someone you look up to. Why is that relationship important to you? What do you do together that makes you feel like you are cared for? Write your thoughts down in a notebook.
Who is an important person in your life? Share your thoughts by tagging iamtheCODE on social media using the hashtag #wellbeing