Roses are red, violets are blue, I’m glad that I’m connected to you! It doesn’t have to take a corny Valentine’s Day poem to show the importance of ‘CONNECTION’ – Let’s work together to end loneliness and stay encouraged.

A Friend Indeed

Although social media makes it easier to talk to and keep tabs on our friends and acquaintances, it can never fully replace a genuine human connection. Can you think back to your first friend as a child? What was their name? How old were you all? Where and how did you meet? And most importantly, what are the things you all did to stay connected? You might start thinking about the times you’ve played together, the notes written during class, or maybe the time you both went to a concert together. Now I want you to ask yourself – when did your connection become less strong? It may not have been lost completely, but at some point it started to diminish.

As adults, we have a responsibility to ourselves and the people around us to tend to the connections we have, or even to create new ones. Do you ever get to a moments in your life where you miss ‘people’? With the whole world dealing with a pandemic the answer can easily be yes! Yes, staying safe is important, however, in our quest for health we can’t forget about wellness. Your ability to be well will include others at some point – no doubt about it! Our bodies respond to connections with other humans. We were made to flourish from community and engagements. Using wisdom, we have to make it a point to stay ‘CONNECTED’.

Connect Your Way

Connections will always be important, but they don’t have to mean the same thing for every person. Some may stay connected in small groups, others with large gatherings, and some may use one on one interactions only. Whatever your method, keep your determination. Don’t allow the comfort of the couch and a movie keep you from enjoying time with a friend, new or old. And to be quite honest, you never know how much they needed that time too! Here are a few steps to go toward your ‘CONNECTION’ efforts:

1. Reach out to an old friend, schedule a meetup or a Videochat
2. Go talk to a neighbor and bring a small gift
3. Join a social media group on a topic you’re interested in
4. Look up opportunities to volunteer in your community

There can be so many reasons to stay secluded and ‘to yourself’, but our desire for CONNECTION has to outweigh them all. End loneliness, stay CONNECTED.