Social Connection

Paradoxically, in the time of hyper-connection, loneliness is growing while social interaction becomes virtual and superficial.  More than 70% of middle-aged Americans report through surveys that they have moderate to high levels of loneliness. 

This loneliness or social isolation is a predictor of illness and early mortality.  I recommend to watch Robert Waldinger’s TED talk (45 million views) talking about Harvard’s longest study on happiness, describing the impact of social connection on longevity.

Many times, we may avoid relationships because they are complicated, or messy and demand hard work. Relationships require the use of human competences like appreciation, listening, kindness, compassion or empathy, and like any other skill, we must use and cultivate these qualities for them to become stronger.  The more isolated we are, the more those competences become stunted.

If increasing social connections is something needed in your life, consider to replace screen time by:

•Time with your spouse or partner, doing something new together like long walks, playing sports or board games, or date nights.

•Reaching out to that family member or old friend who you haven’t spoken to in years.

•Meeting with friends, cultivating life-long relationships.  You may need to give a first step instead of waiting for the call.

•Time in your community, finding an institution to which you can contribute. This will help on developing sense of belonging.