Increasing Social Connection

What is social connectedness? Why is it important? Social connection in psychology is based upon the perception of social support. You can have tons of people around you, but still feel alone. You can also be alone but feel supported and connected to loved ones. It is the feeling of closeness and connectedness to a community. It is rooted in feelings of belonging, love and common values. Humans are innately social creatures. Every person we interact with is forever part of our social network. They are family members, friends, coworkers, teammates, neighbors and acquaintances. Each has a lasting impact on our physical and mental health.

During this unique time of social distancing, it is imperative that we do not completely disconnect with one another. In fact, it is more critical now than ever to “virtually” come together. Ongoing research supports the positive health benefits of social connectedness.

Engaging with your network and partaking in activities are proven to have the following health benefits:

  • Longer life,

  • Stronger immune system,

  • Happier,

  • Improved memory and cognitive skills,

  • Increased motivation for self-care and

  • Lower levels of stress hormones.

Shawn discussed how, by making some small positive actions, you can increase your brain’s awareness of social support and feel more connected to others.

What have you done to increase social connection during COVID-19?

TAKE THE SOCIAL CONNECTION QUIZ!

QUIZ

Daily Good News Sharing

  • Having a daily family sharing practice is a great tool for building connection. Sharing one (or more) things that are going well not only makes for a positive conversation but also helps us each – individually – grow our gratitude muscle. Sharing about what we’re grateful for can be at dinner, in the car, at bedtime, or whatever time works best with your family’s schedule. Just make it a daily habit and everyone will get used to it.


Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

Every once in awhile it’s important to remind your entire family to stop and smell the roses. One great way to remind them of the little things in life they enjoy is through a gratitude scavenger hunt!

This activity will send everyone on a mission to capture photographs of their favorite things at home. They’ll find that they don’t have to go far to discover items that bring them joy and happiness.

Turn this into a competition by timing the hunt. Whoever completes their sheet the fastest wins.

To go on a gratitude scavenger hunt, you’ll need:

◻︎ Regular paper

◻︎ A printer

◻︎ A camera or camera phone

Directions: Once you’ve printed the scavenger hunt sheet below, get your camera or camera phone ready. Then, set off to snap pictures of your favorite things and check each item off the list once you’ve captured a photo. Once you have all of the photos collected, you can arrange them in a scrapbook so you can revisit the photos.

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt (English)

Gratitude Jar

You can teach your entire family gratitude with a daily gratitude jar activity. Each day, ask each member of your family to write down something they’re thankful for. The power of positive thinking can improve their mood and happiness.

To do this activity at home, you’ll need:

  • 3 sheets of regular paper

  • 1 sheet of sticker paper

  • Scissors

  • A printer

  • A mason jar

Directions: Start your gratitude jar by printing the cards below on paper. Cut along the lines to get 10 gratitude to-do’s. For a full month’s supply, print three times. From there, replace your regular paper with sticker paper and print the gratitude jar label. Cut this label and attach to a mason jar. Voila! You’re ready to start your gratitude jar. Decorate your jar with colorful ribbon or paint.

Gratitude Jar Activity (English)