The importance of human connection
6 Ways to Achieve It
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What is human connection?
Why is human connection so important?
What is loneliness, and what does it feel like?
How to cope with loneliness
How do you make human connections? 6 ways to feel more connected
We need real human connection now more than ever.
I remember, maybe 9 months ago, just crying. I felt so lonely (did I mention that I live with my husband and 2 sons?) — there's nothing quite like feeling lonely when you aren't actually alone.
For me, I missed girlfriends and casual acquaintances I'd come to depend on, at the gym, the break room, my team at work. People who knew me (or didn't), who shared interests or cared in ways that were different from my family asking (with love) about the next meal.
Even though it seems we’re always connected thanks to social media and our smartphones, that notion couldn’t be further from the truth. A recent survey revealed that over 3 in 5 Americans are lonely. To make matters worse, this feeling of isolation has substantially increased since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Loneliness occurs when there’s a lack of genuine human connection to other people. But what does human connection mean, really?
Let’s consider the human connection definition, why the power of human connection is important in our lives, and how to build meaningful relationships with others.
What is human connection?
Human connection is a deep bond that’s formed between people when they feel seen and valued. During an authentic human connection, people exchange positive energy with one another and build trust.
Human connection makes you feel heard and understood and gives you a sense of belonging.
Why is human connection so important?
Human beings are social species, wired to connect.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, besides food, water, and safety, love and belonging are the most important needs we must fulfill. This includes our desire for interpersonal relationships, intimacy, to connect with others, and to be integrated into a group. When these needs are met, our overall well-being improves, and we live a more fulfilled life.
The 2021 World Happiness Report found that people who experienced an increase in connectedness with others during the pandemic had:
- Greater life satisfaction
- More resilience
- Better mental health
Having a strong support system helps people overcome challenges more easily and maintain a state of mental well-being.
Human connection also decreases health risks and improves physical well-being and longevity. Strong social connections strengthen the immune system and increase your chances of a longer life by 50%.
What is loneliness, and what does it feel like?
Loneliness doesn’t necessarily mean being alone.
Loneliness is a state of mind that occurs when there’s a disconnect between one’s desire for human connection and their actual level of connection. In other words, it’s when our longing for human relationships is unfulfilled.
Loneliness can be found anywhere. Someone can have many social interactions but feel lonely because they lack a real connection with those around them. Others have close relationships with friends and family but long for an intimate connection with a partner.
While everyone can experience loneliness differently, it often manifests as social isolation, feeling left out, unheard, or not belonging. If left unchecked, it can also have serious effects on your emotional well-being and physical health.
According to psychologist Amy Sullivan, PsyD, your level of cortisol, a stress hormone, goes up when you’re lonely. Chronic stress can lead to many health issues, including heart disease and cancer. Because of its many health risks, recent studies compare loneliness to smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
How to cope with loneliness
Dealing with loneliness isn’t easy. For one thing, it builds on itself. Loneliness accumulates and we convince ourselves that it is huge and insurmountable. It makes you feel strange and off, even to yourself. It can feel embarrassing, as an otherwise functioning adult, to admit, even to yourself, that you are lonely. In our empowered, hustle, made-for-IG world, admitting to loneliness feels like a failure.
It can feel hard, almost impossible to break out of the state of loneliness, but it’s a state that can be overcome, surprisingly easily. Loneliness is highly susceptible to action. Here are some ways to combat loneliness and strengthen your connection to society.
Talk to someone
The stigma surrounding asking for support has reduced since the onset of the pandemic. This is thanks to increased awareness of mental health. Seeking help is one of the bravest and most helpful steps you can take to overcome loneliness and the feelings that come with it.
A mental health counselor can offer helpful advice and guide and support you to build healthy relationships and meet new people. Speaking to a professional also equips you with the coping strategies you need to navigate and overcome feelings of chronic loneliness.
It might sound obvious, but loneliness thrives in solitude. Loneliness can make you feel unwanted and isolated from those around you. To break out of this negative mindset, you have to take the initiative and put yourself out there.
Be proactive and reconnect with friends and family, or build new relationships. Call an old friend, join a club, or take your colleagues out for a drink. Make your well-being a priority and try new activities to build fulfilling human connections.
Give back to others
Volunteering is a meaningful way to connect with others, make friends, and feel a sense of purpose in your life. Giving back to those in need also amplifies your sense of gratitude and well-being.
In a recent UK survey of more than 10,000 people, 2 out of 3 said volunteering helped them feel less isolated. Volunteering opportunities introduce you to a new set of people with similar goals and values. It also gives you a sense of meaning that’s often lost when you lack human connections.
How do you make human connections? 6 ways to feel more connected
Making human connections sometimes requires being brave and taking chances. For example, striking up a conversation with someone new can be intimidating, especially if you’re shy. It requires you to step out of your comfort zone despite feeling nervous.
Ultimately, the rewarding feeling of building human connections far outweighs the initial fear you may feel when you put yourself out there. Let’s look at six simple ways you can integrate into society.
1. Surround yourself with people with shared interests
It’s easy to bond with people who share the same interests and hobbies as you.
If you love reading, joining a book club can be a great way to socialize and form new friendships with people that share your love of books.
Or, if you’re a runner who likes to stay active, joining a local running club could be an opportunity to meet new people.
2. Overcome your resistance
Building relationships is often intimidating because of a natural fear of rejection. But to make these connections, we have to overcome our resistance to change and embrace situations outside our comfort zone.
3. Smile (once in a while) and try out a positive attitude
First impressions count. Trying to have a generally positive demeanor and a genuine smile will naturally draw people to you. That doesn't mean you have to be positive all the time or blindly optimistic. But it's helpful to do a gratitude exercise and spend a few minutes noticing what is good in your life prior to spending time around others. Research shows people are more drawn to positive emotions than negative ones when it comes to forming social connections.
So if you want to maximize your chances of being a people magnet, put your best self forward.
4. Open up to others
If you want to make friends more easily, allow yourself to be more vulnerable with others. That doesn't mean to drop all filters or boundaries. Too much, too soon can put others off and leave you feeling more alone. But you also don't have to be a curated version of yourself.
People can sense whether someone is genuine or not, so let them see the most authentic version of you. Your vulnerability will also prompt them to feel comfortable around you and connect with you on a deeper level.
5. Don’t hide in your phone
It’s easy to retreat into our smartphones when we’re feeling uncomfortable in a social situation. But this can hinder our ability to make real-life connections.
For example, being on your phone during a party or while networking will make you seem less approachable. Whenever you’re out, focus on being present and engaging with the people around you.
6. Stay in touch
Human connection needs to be nurtured. For example, if you’ve made a new friend, keep in touch with them and grow your friendship. At the same time, work on maintaining your existing relationships with close friends, family, or team members.
Regular contact deepens your connections with others and ensures you don’t lose touch with those you value most.
How to build a lasting human connection
If you’ve ever felt lonely, you’re not alone. Many people experience or have experienced a lack of human connection at some point in their lives.
The key to overcoming loneliness and living a more fulfilling, happier life is to challenge yourself and look for opportunities to build genuine connections with those around you.
This can be anything from joining a club, reconnecting with an old friend, or volunteering for a cause you believe in.
If you find yourself struggling with building connections, personalized support from BetterUp can help.
Why It's Important I Psych Central
Social connection can help boost your mood and manage your emotions.
Through the years, we’ve thrived as a species by connecting with others. Whether we were hunting for meat, gathering berries, or traveling in stagecoaches — we did it together in social groups.
It’s this human connection that has advanced our world from gathering and hunting for our food to shopping for it in grocery stores.
But with the rise of digital interactions, we’ve also seen an increase in loneliness.
We no longer meet for drinks after work or gather with our friends for game or movie nights. Meetings and social gatherings are now done virtually. We celebrate the events in our lives with a heart or thumbs-up emoji.
In 2019, before the pandemic, 3 in 5 Americans reported being lonely. After the pandemic, this number increased, particularly among young people.
The proposed reason for this rise in loneliness is lack of social interaction and support from our peers and poor mental health.
Simply put: We need human connection. Connecting with others on a physical and emotional level can improve our health and overall well-being.
Human connection is the sense of closeness and belongingness a person can experience when having supportive relationships with those around them.
Connection is when two or more people interact with each other and each person feels valued, seen, and heard. There’s no judgment, and you feel stronger and nourished after engaging with them.
Human connection can be a chat over coffee with a friend, a hug from a partner after a long day, or a hike in the woods with a family member.
Connecting with someone doesn’t have to always include words, either. Time spent in relative closeness and experience can also be a bonding experience.
Our day-to-day lives are busy. We spend our days balancing between endless meetings, school activities, and family responsibilities. On top of that, we try to squeeze in exercise and running errands.
This leaves us with no time to connect. In a world of more virtual interactions than physical, human connection is now more important than ever.
Here are some benefits to social connection.
Mental health boost
Social connections can offer a number of mental health benefits, such as boosting mood, reducing stress, and improving self-esteem.
A 2018 study led by researchers with the American Cancer Society (ACS) examined data from more than 580,000 adults and found that social isolation can contribute to depression, insomnia, and cognitive decline.
Other research suggests that social isolation can increase chances of death by at least 50%. A lack of human connection was found to be more harmful than even obesity and smoking.
Improved quality of life
Loneliness has been shown to impact not only our physical health but our emotional health, too.
The same 2018 study conducted by the researchers from ACS also found that lack of social connection may be associated with obesity, heart disease, and smoking. Another study linked social isolation to up to a 30% increased chance of stroke and heart disease.
A 2015 study found that social isolation might also be associated with lowered immune system, making you more vulnerable to viruses and disease.
When we reconnect with friends, whether that’s through a quick phone call or on a nature hike, we can go through a multitude of emotions. We’re either laughing, crying, or venting.
When we express these emotions, our brains release dopamine and endorphins — the “feel good” neurotransmitters responsible for happiness and mood.
Social connection can look different for everyone. If you’re an introvert, it might be overwhelming trying to find ways to be more social.
If you’re not sure where to start, try some of these tips.
- Consider volunteering at a nonprofit organization near you. Helping others is a rewarding way to build friendships and connect with others.
- Consider joining a local group, like a book club or hiking group, that meets regularly. Routine interaction is a great way to get comfortable with socializing and getting to know others.
- Try to find an engaging activity in your area and consider signing up. Common interests are a great way to bond and form relationships.
- When engaging in conversations, try to actively listen. The more interest you display, the more genuine you’ll come across. Try to ask questions, so the other person knows you’re listening.
- When you enroll in a class or are scheduled to meet for a bike ride, try to avoid canceling. Doing this repeatedly can only delay connecting and engage with others.
- Try to get more physical. Regardless of the type of relationship, a hug can go a long way. Touch can deepen our relationship bonds (as long as the other person is willing of course).
It’s never too late to engage in human connection. The benefits can have a lasting impact on your mood and stress levels.
If thinking about joining a group or starting a discussion with a stranger gives you extreme anxiety, consider reaching out to a mental health professional. They can work with you on strategies that may help you manage your responses to triggering thoughts and events.
Support groups may also be a beneficial first step toward connectedness. Knowing you aren’t alone and others also have trouble cultivating relationships can improve your outlook on forming connections in the future.
Also, support groups are a great way to learn coping strategies and gather suggestions about different ways to connect with others.
Remember that not everyone has to connect socially in the same way. If you’re more introverted, hanging out with a group of people may not be your thing. Try to find a way to connect that fits you and your unique lifestyle.
Indian "Game of Thrones" - this is how critics and readers dubbed "Sons of Darkness", the debut work in the fantasy genre by Gurava Mohanty. Like George R. R. Martin's popular saga, Mohanty's book is a dark but fascinating story, based on the longstanding confrontation between the two states - the Maturan Republic and the Magadha Empire. The latter almost defeated the enemy, and now the country under the rule of Krishna and Satyabhama is on the verge of defeat. To avoid a catastrophe, two wise managers decide to change tactics, but both do not even know what consequences this will lead to and how many destinies it will turn over once and for all. Among the discord, on the verge of the abyss and oblivion, the stories of the main characters unfold: the pirate princess Mati, who is used to solving all her problems by bloodshed, the mysterious handsome Karna and the crippled Shakuni, who is forced to follow the path of heartlessness and cruelty.
2022 marks the 65th anniversary of the publication of the novel "The Andromeda Nebula" by Ivan Efremov. In honor of this date, the organizers of the fantastic New Horizons award, together with partners, are launching the Great Ring. Scenarios of the future and Russian science fiction. In the novels of Ivan Efremov, the "Great Ring" is an information network that unites intelligent beings living under different stars in distant galaxies.
In 2022, the oldest independent literary prize in Russia, the Andrei Bely Prize, was awarded only in the special nomination "For Merit to Russian Literature" to six laureates simultaneously, in other nominations the prize was not awarded.
For the eighth time, the most reading regions in Russia have been named. Traditionally, the jury of the competition, which includes representatives of the book, museum and library communities, authorities and public organizations, singles out the twenty best subjects of the Russian Federation, where the book infrastructure is most developed and the brightest initiatives to promote books and reading have been shown. This year, in addition to the winner and laureates, Arkhangelsk, Kirov, Murmansk, Penza, Saratov, Ulyanovsk and Volgograd regions, Kamchatka, Primorsky, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk and Stavropol regions, St. Petersburg, Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets autonomous regions, Chechen Republic.
The Tretyakov Gallery opens the first Book Lounge in the building on Krymsky Val, the institution's press service reports.
The Khmelita State Museum-Reserve of AS Griboyedov will hold an exhibition marathon in 2023 dedicated to the history of the creation and production of the play Woe from Wit. The first participant in the project will be the art gallery of V. A. Gromyko in the city of Orsha of the Republic of Belarus, then the exhibitions will be shown in the museums of Kazakhstan, the Bryansk region and in the Smolensk Drama Theater, director of the museum-reserve Nadezhda Kulakova told TASS.
An illustrated book with a translation into Belarusian of a ballad for children by Iosif Brodsky published by the Yanushkevich publishing house has been recognized as extremist material in Belarus. According to the publisher himself, this happened because in the illustrations the tugboat is painted white and red (the white-red-white flag is used by the Belarusian opposition).
October 25, 2022 in the conference hall of the Orenburg Regional Universal Scientific Library. N. Krupskaya held a presentation of Nikolai Trubin's book "Memoirs of the last Prosecutor General of the USSR."
Poet, translator, playwright Vladimir Kostrov died on October 26 in Moscow, five days after he celebrated his 87th birthday. The poet's departure was announced by his friends, and the sad news was confirmed by the Writers' Union of Russia.
The role of communication in human life essay writing
Best essays and retellings
- Free theme
- The role of communication in human life
Communication plays an important role in everyday life. Communication helps to set up life and facilitate human existence. As the world develops, it is necessary to develop your skills in every sector, including communication. Without communication people even think about their own development. You just have to imagine what happens if a person is suddenly not allowed to speak for a long time. Communication helps a person understand others. Failure to communicate can lead to many problems, both personal and professional.
In personal life, communication is necessary in order to solve various everyday problems. In professional activities, communication helps build healthy and trusting relationships with colleagues. Whether a person is studying or working, communication can help build relationships with people: with classmates, teachers, or employees. At the same time, it is important to understand that just talking and listening is not communication. It is also important to understand the interlocutor. Interaction occurs through the exchange of information using words, gestures, signs, symbols and facial expressions.
An example is the novel by Alexander Pushkin "Eugene Onegin", where the main characters critically lacked communication. After the bustle of the city, life in the country seemed boring to him. It was noticeable to those around him. Tatyana Larina wrote in her letter: "... in the wilderness, in the village, everything is boring for you ...".
If you imagine a day without communication, you can immediately feel the emptiness that this will create. Can we ever forget that it is our ability to communicate verbally that distinguishes us from animals? Communication helps create a strong bond between people and makes us social beings. Thanks to communication skills, people learn about what is happening in the world, they share their ideas and plans.
Communication also plays an important role in motivation and inspiration. When interacting with successful people and opinion leaders, I want to reach the same heights myself and become the best version of myself every day. Communication allows you to start writing new books, creating works of art.
Communication is of great importance in a person's life. It is important to share your thoughts and feelings in order to live a fuller and happier life. The more a person communicates, the less he suffers and the better he feels his surroundings. But people need to learn the art of effective communication in order to express their point of view well.
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