Think back through your life. Are you able to locate at least one time when you spoke out about a problem to a trustworthy person?
I must admit that it wasn't until I sat down to write this article that I realised that most of the time, what keeps us moving forward in life is the people we surround ourselves with - whether it's friends, family, teachers, or even a random stranger you struck up a conversation with yesterday. As figurative 'social animals,' the warm feeling that comes with the thought that someone loves, cares for, or is available to support us goes a long way toward making a difference in our lives.
Formally, 'social connectedness' refers to a state of feeling close (or "connected") to another person or people. Speaking from personal experience, I believe that this beautiful connection that people maintain could be the catalyst for life-changing support and connections. As a Gen Z, pandemic-affected adolescent, I had the opportunity to 'seek help' and also provide support to whoever needs it during times of distress because of my existing connections.
Underlying evidence suggests a link between social connectedness and help-seeking behaviour among people, according to research. Having the realisation and confidence that there are people who will listen to us can often induce people to make the crucial statement, 'I need help.' Such a claim, which is difficult to make, can only be disclosed if the individual has connections that can provide support and comfort, removing any possibility of judgment or scrutiny. For many people, social connections - through online forums, social media, or in person - can help them to have a healthier mindset, improve their self-worth and have greater satisfaction in life. It has the potential to break down the barriers erected by various social factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, and so on in order to work toward a common goal of providing individuals with a safe space to express their concerns and promote mental well-being.
Given how important it is for help-seeking and, by extension, our mental health, we must ask ourselves, "Where do I begin with improving social connectedness?". To get you started on answering this question, I'd appreciate it if you, my readers, could try out the mini bingo game below.
In the box below there are a few tasks to perform. Once you complete the task, place a smile emoji in the box of the listed task. Once you have 3 smile emoji’s in a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) you’ve completed BINGO. Congratulations!
Although the components of this bingo do not cover all aspects of encouraging good relationships, they can serve as an insightful activity for you to further self-reflect and come up with other ways to connect with others.
In such a fast-paced world as ours, we are often so focused on keeping up that we forget to take a breather and connect with others. To combat everything that prevents us from maintaining our beautiful, intimate relationships, let us strive to make ourselves and those who care for us our top priority at all times!
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