Having a sense of connection and community can go a long way in supporting our whole health and well-being. Feeing alone can sometimes make us get sick or keep us feeling ill. Positive social relationships are healthy, and they can be a source of strength and positivity in our lives.
Relationships can affect our emotional, mental and physical health, and well-being. Connections to family, friends, community, and even animals can reduce stress and improve our physical and emotional well-being.
There are a variety of ways you can connect more with your community and others around you. Some ideas include volunteering for a local organization, joining a community-based support group like a Veterans Service Organization, taking up a new hobby, or perhaps taking some classes at the local recreation center.
Often these activities can help us to connect to ourselves first and then create or strengthen our social connections with family, groups and communities. At the same time, strengthening our social connections (that sense of belonging to a group or feeling close to others) can also help us connect more to ourselves.
Join Dr. Tosha Ellis in this 7-minute guided movement practice for embodying social connectedness.
You can learn more about the power of connection and building relationships here: Family, Friends, and Co-workers: Connecting For Whole Health – Whole Health (va.gov).
