Are you socially connected???

I love it when we hang out together.

Are you socially connected?  Do you have people who you can just catch up with, have a giggle with, be as happy as a pigs in mud together with or just have a good old chat to? 

Just the other morning I saw people connecting and it really made me think how happy they all looked.  At 7.45am, as I drove my son to work, we drove past about 50 cyclists in big groups riding, chatting and looking pretty happy, as they rode.  Then I pop into the bakery to get some rolls and what a hive of activity I find there:  families having brekky…chatting, laughing and sharing yummy food; a son in cricket gear with his dad buying some brekky and having a giggle cos dad is letting him have a pie for breakfast; a group of about 6 guys, about 45 years old, sharing a morning after the night before breaky….all looking very seedy, obviously on a blokes weekend away and then there was the staff, working hard but chatting away as they worked. Then I drove past a Church and they were obviously getting ready for a fete and were bringing plants and cakes etc in from the car park to the church.  They were all helping each other carry stuff in and were all smiling away looking very productive and obviously happy to be a part of a group. On my way home, there’s a couple walking their dog, chatting away and a couple of ladies merrily jogging.  It is great to see people connecting and getting together.  Research has proven that “social interaction” is a major key to our happiness; we need to feel connected to others and share positive relationships. When we connect with others: we de-stress, we laugh, we share, we learn, we help, we get helped and most importantly we improve each other’s happiness.  It is a win-win situation. One day I was wondering if I could choose any job in the world what would it be???? I thought about it for a while and thought about what I’d love to do????? I love to chat with others….I love learning new things from others, I love listening to others stories, I love being involved in discussions, I love helping others and others helping me….basically I love to chat and catch up with friends, family and meet new people…..sadly I don’t know of a job that just requires general chit-chat but if one pops up, I’ll snap it up.  When you read this, and if you don’t know me, you might think that I might be really social, confident and very outgoing.  But guess what?  I am not, I am friendly but
not super outgoing and in some situations I am downright shy.  I do not like parties and putting myself  in unfamiliar social situations.  SO, I guess what I am trying to say is that you don’t have to be a social butterfly or party goer to connect.  You don’t need a great list of friends or be a social networker, to
make yourself happy.  A handful of people who you can genuinely connect with, you like each other’s company, you feel good around and that you can share with and be yourself with is all you need.  So back to my original question?? Are you socially connected? If not or maybe feel that you could improve your situation, can you think of ways that you can change this? If you do feel adequately connected, are your relationships nurturing and supportive? Are there any areas that you could improve?  Why not make it your mission in the next month or so to work on this. Connect with others and let us know how much happier it makes you feel????

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