Connecting with other people can be an interesting, exciting, and healthy part of being human. Moreover, social support is often integral to a person’s physical health and mental well-being. According to the APA, about 30% of Americans feel lonely. Around the world, Social Wellness Month is celebrated each July. This month was established in the early 2000s to encourage people to build healthy relationships and improve their social well-being.
Ways to build healthy relationships
Discovering ways to strengthen relationships and meet new people can seem challenging, but there may be many opportunities to find people with whom you might connect and begin to build support systems. When developing your social network, it can be helpful to remember that the quality of your relationships is often more important than the quantity. In other words, having a handful of high-quality social relationships can have more of a positive effect than having many people with whom you aren’t as close.
To effectively interact and connect with other individuals, you might try any of the following techniques:
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Spend quality time with family and friends: Quality is often more important than quantity when it comes to relationships. That said, finding new ways to connect and strengthen your bonds with your existing friends and family members can be a helpful way to improve your social well-being.
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Reconnect with old friends: In addition to the friends and family members you see more regularly, reaching out to old connections with whom you may have lost touch can also be a helpful way to build your support system. This could be your best friend from childhood, your old roommate, a previous coworker, or even a distant relative you don’t see often.
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Get to know the people around you: When looking to meet new people, you might consider getting to know people you regularly see but don’t know very well. These people could be neighbors, coworkers, or acquaintances you met through other friends or family members.
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Volunteer: Volunteering your free time for a cause you care about can help you meet like-minded individuals dedicated to similar causes. This common experience may give you something about which to talk initially and could spark an ongoing friendship outside of your volunteer work.
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Join a group or club: Book clubs, bird-watching groups, recreational sports teams, and other community meet-ups can be helpful ways to meet like-minded people who have similar interests. Many individuals join these groups to meet new people, potentially making it easier for you to initiate a friendship.
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Take up a new hobby Learning a new skill or hobby can connect you with an entirely new community of people. They may attend similar events, activities, or locations that can serve as an opportunity to discuss your common interest and potentially form a connection.
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Attend events: Both in-person and virtual events can be valuable ways to meet and interact with new people. Sporting events, festivals, tournaments, happy hours, and networking events can all connect you with people you may not have found otherwise.
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