Happy Holidays! As I reflect on this holiday season, I can’t think of a better time to think about connection. I hope that you take (or make) time to be with your loved ones as much as you can and truly be present in the moment, without phones or other distractions. Deep human connection truly is a healing serum.
I attended a women’s leadership conference last month and I realized the power of human connection. It was with a group of women who I had met with every month for the last 7 months (which was impactful) but until we met in person, I hadn’t really experienced the depth of how meaningful our relationships were.
Actually meeting in person allows you to feel the energy of a person and to appreciate their uniqueness. And I value that deeply. It’s what makes us human, and separates us from other species.
I love connection. In many ways – spiritual, emotional, and physical connection. Connection of thoughts and ideas with others. Connecting dots. Things fitting together. I love a point of reference (until recently, I hadn’t realize that is also a form of connection). And I love seeing people re-connect and heal. It’s all a part of how my brain works.
And I also know that I am not alone in this desire for connection, even if it shows up differently for other people. People need genuine connection more than ever. There’s a litany of stats that tell this story:
- The World Health Organization declared loneliness a “pressing health threat,” and launched a new commission to foster social connection as a priority in all countries.
- One landmark study showed that lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.
- 330 million adults go at least two weeks without talking to a single family member or friend
I’ve been thinking a lot about the declining wellness and emotional health of our nation lately and why this may be the case. It feels that the impacts of COVD are still lingering. And it also feels like we are moving further and further away from our source of life and strength. And this dis-connection causes us pain and illness.
The top 3 reasons why I believe only human connection will deliver our nation from its declining health crisis…
- Connection increases the quality of our lives. Community is the difference between a good life and a great life. Countries where social connections are strongest–such as nations in Central America–have the highest positive emotions scores globally. And it’s not just having a connection, it’s about having quality genuine connections. You can feel lonely even if you have a lot of people around you, because loneliness is about the quality of your connections. It doesn’t matter the number of friends (or followers that you have), it matters about the depth and honesty of those relationships, as social media cannot replace that. As you work to increase those connections, your quality of life elevates as well.
- Connection is a part of our nature. We are created to be in community. You find community all throughout nature; even grass grows in community: you don’t find just one blade of grass. And it has been said that the only thing that Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) will not replace is personal development and community, because natural connection cannot be digitized.
- Connection heals our bodies. Our bodies want and need connection. The Surgeon General report warns that the physical consequences of poor connection can be devastating, including a 29% increased risk of heart disease; a 32% increased risk of stroke; and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Without connection, our bodies deteriorate. In an article called “Growing Young” by Marta Zaraska, it shares that over the course of studies averaging seven years long, research participants with larger social networks were about 45 percent less likely to die prematurely. With connection, our bodies thrive.
There’s other facts as well, we know that babies develop slower without community and physical touch. Someone once said that the opposite of Addiction is not Sobriety, it’s Community! And there’s no surprise as to why one of the torture tactics in prisons is full isolation from other human beings, because it has such a negative impact on our minds and bodies.
To me, connecting with others in person, in meaningful ways, is just getting back to the basics. And I am advocating for this as a healing journey for everyone, in hopes that we cannot just heal ourselves, but heal an entire nation.
If you need help evaluating your beliefs and creating a life that is in support of your highest good, I can help with that. Book a discovery call with me today to learn more about how I can help.