Social Wellness Tips
Social wellness plays a huge role in how you experience the world. Small, simple changes to your everyday habits can make a big difference in how you feel, look, and function.
The following suggestions will help you form deeper connections and a well-developed support system.
What is Social Health and Wellness?
In general, social health and wellness includes a set of behaviors and lifestyle habits that promote strong relationships with peers, family, and even strangers.
Here's 36 ways you can boost your social wellness, easily.
Join a Club
Consider joining a club or sports team just for fun. Choose something you can do on a weekday evening that will get you out of the house and meeting new people. Social connections help protect health and lengthen life.
Have Lunch With Someone New
Break your usual routine, and meet with a new friend for lunch on a sunny afternoon. The different setting and new friend will add some excitement to your social life, and do wonders for your emotional health.
Explore a New Place
Take a few minutes and check out that thrift shop in town you’ve been eyeing up for months. Squeeze in some time before your weekly grocery shop, or on a Sunday afternoon. Spark a conversation with the owner about a cool new find.
Improve Your Active Listening Skills
If you know someone going through a rough time, let them know you’re there to listen and support them. Being there for someone else’s time of need is good for your own health as well.
Socialize Off-Line
Get off social media and spark up a conversation with someone face-to-face. Talk to your neighbour about their new car, or chat with someone at the mailbox. Even a 5-minute conversation will boost your social wellness.
Mental Health America (MHA), Pexels
Look for Similarities in Others Rather Than Differences
This helps build connections. Most of us have the same needs and wants, and we usually have far more similarities with others than we think.
Make it a Regular Thing
Schedule a regular date to do something helps you stay consistently connected. Every Sunday, watch your favorite show with a friend, every Wednesday you can go for a run together.
Embrace Diversity
Be aware of your biases. If everyone were the same, the world would be a very boring place.
Engage in Healthy Romantic Relationships
Strong, healthy relationships can also help to strengthen your immune system, help you recover from disease, and may even lengthen your life.
Learn How to Apologize
Apologizing builds bridges and heals wounds. It is also a courageous act—since it can be difficult to do—because you’re overcoming your own self-protectiveness when you do it.
Learn the Power of Forgiveness
As with apologizing, giving forgiveness is also important for social well-being. When someone hurts you, it’s hard to forget, but holding onto anger only continues to hurt yourself.
Practice Gratitude
Be thankful for what you have and what you can do. Surely, there’s a lot more you’d like in life, but if you only focus on what you’re missing, you’ll miss out on the great things right in front of you.
Take a Holiday
Take a break every now and then and get away. It doesn’t have to be an expensive overseas trip or an extended time off work.
Go away for the weekend, or check into a local hotel overnight just get away from your everyday life and reset.
Laugh Often
Laughter is great for your physical and emotional wellbeing. It relieves stress; releases endorphins and can help shift your focus from the distressing to a more positive perspective.
Get Outdoors
Sunlight improves your mood and being outside encourages you to be more active and it supplies you with vitamin D which helps your body absorb calcium.
Adopt a Pet
Pets are another great way to relieve stress. Cuddles with your pet can be really beneficial for both of you.
Volunteer Your Time
Giving back to others is a great way to get your focus off yourself and onto others. It helps develop your sense of gratitude and empathy.
Get Some Plants
Plants aren’t just aesthetically pleasing; they serve a purpose too. Plants remove toxins from the air, and add oxygen, improving the overall air quality of your home—which does wonders for your health.
Take Up Gardening
Digging in the dirt relieves stress, boosts your memory, boosts your mood, and even burns calories. Find a community garden to join and make it a social booster too.
Join a Fitness Class
Not only does exercise boost your health all on its own, but joining a group class makes it a social event that doubles up on the benefits.
Give Compliments
Making other people feel good about themselves is a great way to start any kind of relationship and build connections—and it will also make you feel good too.
Mindful Eating
Be mindful how you’re fueling your body, but don’t forget to treat yourself. Enjoy dinner with friends once in a while without paying too much attention to the ingredients.
Plan Outings with Friends
Our busy adult lives often prevent us from seeing our friends regularly, but don’t let that become the new norm. Prioritize time with your friends, doing what you love to do together.
Master the Art of Conflict Resolution
There’s no need for conflicts to become unpleasant or hostile. Learn how to phrase requests so they don’t appear to be an attack. This will strengthen social relationships.
Drink More Coffee
Coffee has a range of positive effects on both your physical and mental fitness. Grabbing a cup of coffee and having a chat with a friend is also a great way to relax.
Eat More Chocolate
Chocolate is a mood lifter and good quality chocolate also has some health benefits when consumed in moderation. It’s also a great treat to share among friends.
Take Alone Time
Having a social life can be emotional draining all in itself. Make sure you take time for yourself so you don’t get too overwhelmed being social all the time.
Prioritize Sleep
A proper amount of sleep is necessary to keep you performing well, as well as to maintain mental and emotional health.
Prioritize Relaxation
Take a yoga or meditation class. Not only does this boost your relaxation, it also gets you being social with like-minded people.
Read More Books
Join a book club. Not only does reading benefit your social and emotional well-being, but joining a book club gives you the opportunity to discuss interest topics with others.
Take Up a Hobby
Find other people who share the same interests as you. Join a local craft group, or attend a paint night in your area.
Nancy Chiamaka DeStrangeImages, Pexels
Don’t Be a Flake
Be mindful of the commitments you make and keep them. Know your limitations and don’t spread yourself too thin.
Practice Self Care
Finding balance in life is increasingly important. Self-care embraces basic needs and avoids negative coping mechanisms.
Don’t Criticize Others
No one wants to be judged, criticized or blamed, and if those dynamics are present, it can indicate an unhealthy, and potentially abusive, relationship.
Find Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Stress is inevitable, but how you react to it is up to you. Having healthy coping mechanisms will help keep your mood in check, and avoiding straining connections with others.
Set and Keep Boundaries
Setting healthy boundaries—on both our personal and professional lives—allows us to express who we are as opposed to who people expect us to be.
Final Thoughts
Practicing social wellness doesn’t need to be difficult. It’s as simple as making a list of habits you’d like to integrate into your life.
These practices can have lasting benefits on your physical and mental well-being.
