Meaningful Connections
Meaningful connections is one of the most important parts of being human. We are literally hard wired for connection. Yet in today’s day and age so many people are suffering from loneliness and depression due to lack of connection.
In the digital world we live in we are more “connected” than ever before but we are also more disconnected than ever before. By this I mean we have the power to connect to anyone anywhere in the world basically at our fingertips but it is not the same as having meaningful connections in real life. There is something almost sacred about in person connection that is completely lost in the digital world that we live in.
The loneliness epidemic is more than just feelings of despair. The US Surgeon General’s Advisory Board found loneliness has been associated with greater risk of dementia, stroke, depression, and anxiety as well as cardiovascular disease and even early death. So it is increasingly important to make a conscious effort to connect yet many people rarely do, or if they do it tends to be online or through superficial connections which lack meaningful bonds.
As an introvert, I know for myself, I often find in person events and interactions really overwhelming and sometimes exhausting. Yet when I force myself to make plans and go out I also notice how much happier I am as a whole. The key for me is to make plans and connections that fit with my personality and interests. I am the happiest when I make plans to go hiking, yoga, snowboarding or paddleboarding with a few friends. Rather than a night out on the town or very social setting. Yet others thrive on these scenarios which is totally beneficial too. What is important is to learn what events and connections fit best in your life and make the conscious effort to do them.
Personally, I think quality connections are more important and fulfilling than the quantity of connections. Yet for others this may be different. I also think as we age our need for quality connections becomes more important than quantity.
When we restrict ourselves to online connections we miss opportunities to learn and grow in ways we do not truly know until we are placed in social settings. For example, when I started my Masters Degree all of the classes were in person at the university, which I dreaded going to after work once a week but at the same time loved. Then part way through my degree the courses all went to online with only options to do in person in the summers.
In my online courses I did not make any meaningful connections with a single classmate. Yet when I went in person I made meaningful connections with my peers. Often these were made during opportunities to chat on our breaks or before and after classes. I learned more from my peers during our breaks or side discussions than I ever did in the classwork. We often think that the material is the important part of a course in school, for me the connections with people was so much more important and had so much more value than the actual course work. Which is why I think in person events and connections hold so much value.
Even just getting out to work at a coffee shop instead of working in your home can have potential to make meaningful connections and interactions with others that you cannot predict.
This week I challenge you to take a look at your week and make a conscious effort to make plans for a social connection. There are a so many ways you can make meaningful connections such as: join a social group with people who have similar interests (sports team, hobby groups, clubs), schedule a meet up date with a friend or family member, or go out and volunteer. In order to make meaningful connections consider having a digital detox during your real-world connections, set boundaries around the use of social media and be truly present in the moment without distractions. There is limitless opportunities for meaningful connections if you choose to put yourself out there and connect.
May your connections be meaningful and empowering!
