SOCIAL WELL-BEING FOR THE VETERAN
By Judy Skilling
Developing Social Wellness, Post-Covid:
3 Tips to Regain Your Social Well-being
The past 18 months have been the most challenging for anyone to endure. With the outbreak of Covid-19, it led our society to become even more isolated and withdrawn than ever before. Some people loved being isolated while other struggled with it immensely, suffering from depression and other mental health issues.
At any rate, Covid-19 accelerated our society’s isolation at rapid speed. We dealt with lock downs, quarantine and 6 feet of spacing. Now that things are slowly returning back to a new normal, social wellness and social well-being is something to bring to light once more.
As we approach the holiday season, this is the perfect time of year to re-develop your social well-being. We are emerging into the holiday parties and get togethers once again.
We will have the opportunity to see our friends and families to spread holiday cheer. But what if you’re still struggling with isolation and you’re not sure how to reintegrate back into society again?
What if you’re feeling awkward, uneasy, or just plain uncomfortable about socializing with people again? Why is it even important to put forth the effort to engage with people?
We are humans and we are designed to be social creatures, no matter what we tell ourselves.
Research has shown that people who have healthy relationships tend to live longer and that they are better able to respond to stress. It improves our mental, emotional, and physical well-being when we surround ourselves with people.
Even being in an area where there’s people, whether its at a nearby park, grocery store or heck…even Walmart, there is something therapeutic about being around others. So how can you ease yourself back into engaging with people again? Here are three tips to consider.
If you have been isolated and you’re ready to engage with people, to re-establish your relationships with your friends and family, be the first to initiate contact and reach out.
Check in with those people you haven’t seen if you’ve been in quarantine or isolated.
Let people know you’re thinking about them and arrange an in-person meeting, if possible.
We have shifted into an online culture where we don’t have to leave our house to meet people. We can just meet them online.
It’s the physical component of social wellness that you are improving and re-engaging within yourself. It’s the act of physically being around someone that improves your social wellness. So, take the first step, reach out, and plan something.
If you’ve been accustomed to enjoying your own company and would rather binge watch a series on Netflix than go to a holiday party, well, I hate to say it, but you should go to the holiday party.
I know, I know…this is hard and challenging for those introverts out there. If someone has taken the effort to invite you or has reached out to include you in their festivities, that could possibly mean they enjoy you as a person and would like to see you there.
Does that mean you have to talk to every single person there? Not if you don’t want to.
It’s about being in the environment and enjoying being around other people. Heck! You could just sit on the couch and watch people get drunk. That’s fun too! It’s the principle of building your social wellness that you’re working on.
Lastly, be intentional in building those relationships that had to be put on pause due to Covid-19.
Building relationships are a two-way effort and if you’re putting forth the effort, then more than likely, it will be reciprocated.
It’s about creating a healthy and nurturing connection with others. If you struggle with being intentional, perhaps create a weekly reminder. “Who will I reach out to this week to tell them I care about them? How will I surprise and delight my friend and/or family member this week?” When we feel cared for, then it builds a meaningful relationship with that person.
Redeveloping your social wellness and well-being is crucial for your overall mindset.
It helps with your longevity in life, lessens the chances of developing depression, and you’re a better, well-rounded person in society. This holiday season, go to the parties and reignite the enjoyment of being around people who truly care about you.
Judy Skilling is a Certified High Performance Coach and U.S. Navy Veteran with a background in emergency nursing. She helps Veterans increase productivity without feeling overwhelmed, improve their wellness on a day to day basis and establish a healthy work/life balance. Her work can be found in several publications such as Entrepreneur, Medium, Elephant Journal, and more. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and having childlike fun with her young daughter. You can learn more about Judy at https://www.judyskilling.com . You can find her on Facebook and LinkedIn.