Social Awareness Month: Nurturing Relationships for a Happier, Healthier You!

The connections we form with family and friends play an important role in our health. July is Social Awareness Month, the perfect opportunity to focus on maintaining healthy relationships that can enrich your life! Social awareness focuses on supporting the people closest to you. When you nurture others, you not only improve their quality of life, but you also improve your own.

Social wellness’s health benefits include a longer life, a healthier heart, a better response to stress, and a stronger immune system. When you continue to be socially active, you will likely see positive mental and physical impacts, including improved thinking skills and slower cognitive decline, reduced risk of depression, increased productivity, and strengthened immune system.

Continued interaction with the people who matter the most to you is vitally important. The truth is that health risks from being alone or isolated in one’s life are comparable to the dangers of cigarette smoking, blood pressure, and obesity.

If you’re interested in increasing your social awareness while improving your health, check out these five tips to help strengthen your relationships today:

1. Exercise Regularly.

Exercise is great for your physical and emotional health and a great way to meet new people. You can expand your friend circle by joining a gym or a workout class. Working out daily can greatly improve your mental health as well.

2. Share a hobby.

Connect with others through shared interests. If you need to find others with similar hobbies, check meetup sites online or join a local church group. Finding people who enjoy the same things you do makes bonding and strengthening your relationship easier.

3. Volunteer your time.

This is a win/win! When you spend your time helping others, you feel good and you can reap the benefits of a larger social network of like-minded people. There are many ways to give back and volunteer. Check with your local church for volunteer opportunities.

4. Reach out when needed.

It can be difficult to let others know when you need help, whether emotionally or with a simple task. However, we all need others. Reach out to a friend or family member, and you may be surprised with the response.

5. Phone a friend.

Do you have friends you need to reconnect with or contact? Pick up the phone and give them a call. Establishing and maintaining social connections goes a long way toward boosting your mental health and social awareness.

Improving social awareness takes time and effort. Start taking small steps each day to develop healthy habits. Be intentional as you reflect on your social interactions with others. Continue to set daily priorities for your time, attention, and energy. Develop self-care strategies that enable you to provide supportive relationships to those around you.

Celebrate Social Awareness Month by breaking out of your fixed routine and striving to meet new people. Remember, social awareness is all about your capability to bond with others and build satisfying relationships. Positive social wellness is key to a happier, healthier self and community. This month go the extra mile to take care of yourself and those closest to you.