In this month’s spotlight on wellbeing, I would like to focus on ‘connection’. Research consistently shows that connecting with others plays a vital part in our overall feeling of wellbeing. Often when people are feeling anxious or down, the first thing they do is withdraw from contact with others which can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness and can in fact compound any negative emotions we may be experiencing.
Social relationships provide different people with different things; however, all humans need support and comfort particularly during difficult times and it is this encouragement from others that can help us to become more resilient and able to cope.
Some may prefer to connect with just one, trusted friend, for others it may be taking part in activities in larger groups. Support of family members can be invaluable; or from colleagues at work or community groups. There are also of course, many online forums and organisations that can help.
In Settle and surrounding villages, we are lucky to have many community organisations and groups who offer all sorts of opportunities for making contact with others, ranging from sports, walking, music, gardening, mental health support groups and the activities hosted by The Place, Settle Business and Community Hub and Age UK. Listings for groups can be found in the Community Directory of this magazine (pages 58-61).
Reaching out to others and being heard can make us feel valued, secure and show us that we are not alone – that people do care. Taking that first step can be difficult, but one step will lead to another and each step becomes easier and more achievable.
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibres connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibres, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” – Herman Melville.
