Social wellness refers to one's ability to interact with people around them. It involves using good communications skills, having meaningful relationships, respecting yourself and others, and creating a support system that includes family members and friends.
Social wellness is a tricky business, mostly because it is a dimension of wellness that is directly influenced by other people. Most everything else we've discussed deals with you: your emotions, your body, your mind... This time we're talking about how you interact with someone else. Like I said, tricky business. So I'm gonna address these things one at a time.
Good communication skills. In my personal opinion, communication can make or break a relationship. It is important to have open communication in any relationship, particularly in close ones. Having the knowledge that communication is open builds trust. It allows a relationship to flourish. Without good communication, a relationship will build walls and blocks. Ultimately, the relationship will die.
Good communication is difficult for some people. Even understanding what is means can be overwhelming. Here's a basic explanation. Good communication means listening at least as often as you speak. It means taking time to process information and giving time for others to do the same. It means thinking before you speak. It means having respect for others involved in the conversation. It is about being honest in a respectful manner. Most importantly, good communication is about respect, trust, and honesty.
Meaningful relationships. I cannot express how important it is to our health to have meaningful relationships. We were NOT meant to go through this life alone. Friendships were meant to be formed. Families are meant to be build. Having meaningful relationships gives our lives meaning and purpose. Our friends and families help to support us in our goals and fulfill our dreams. They build us up when we feel broken down. Meaningful relationships are essential to optimal wellness.
Respecting yourself and others. Christians teach that the second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. This teaching to true regardless of your religious belief, but there are two parts to this teaching. One, you have to love your neighbor. Two, you have to love yourself. Respect is defined "as esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability." Respect is understanding worth, believing in your own worth, and acknowledging others worth. In order to love and respect others, we have to first love and respect ourselves.
Creating a support system. A great way to judge your social wellness is to look at your support group. Do you have a place to call home? Do you have friends or family to turn to for help? Do you have others that you can reach out to in times of need? Do you have a support group that you trust? If you don't, create one. If you do, look at your support group and ask yourself, "Do these people trust me? Am I part of their support group?" Once you have established your support group, it's time to turn that group into a system. That means receiving and giving support. A support system meaning building a family, whether the members are blood relations or not.
There was a point in my life a few years back that I left like my social wellness was suffering severely. I did not have the support system I needed. Instead of meaningful relationships built on respect and communication I had taxing relationships that were filling my mind with doubts about my worth. After much deliberation, I decided to sever some ties. I cut off the relationships that were causing feelings of worthlessness. At first I felt like the worst person in the world because I had cut these people from my life. After some time away, I realized that spending time building up meaningful relationships was crucial to understanding my self-worth. Now that I am in a better place with a wonderful support system, having a few less that meaningful relationships does not affect my sense of worth.
I would encourage each of you to step back to look at your relationships. Are there any that are weighing you down? What can you do to improve those relationships? Perhaps you could try to establish better communication. Perhaps you could try to create a mutual respect. And maybe there are some relationships that are better to walk away from. It is okay to tell someone who is abusive or disrespectful that you need to cut ties. You need to believe in your worth and you need to surround yourself with others that believe in your worth. Build up meaningful relationships based on open communication and mutual respect. Build up a support system where you feel love and trust. If there are relationship that weigh you down, step back until you are in a better place.
As you come to understand your worth, fill your life with others who will help you on this journey. When you understand your worth, go back and help others find their worth. Respect is built on understanding the worth of a soul. Believe in yours and respect others. Why? Because we are worth it!
Good communication is difficult for some people. Even understanding what is means can be overwhelming. Here's a basic explanation. Good communication means listening at least as often as you speak. It means taking time to process information and giving time for others to do the same. It means thinking before you speak. It means having respect for others involved in the conversation. It is about being honest in a respectful manner. Most importantly, good communication is about respect, trust, and honesty.
Meaningful relationships. I cannot express how important it is to our health to have meaningful relationships. We were NOT meant to go through this life alone. Friendships were meant to be formed. Families are meant to be build. Having meaningful relationships gives our lives meaning and purpose. Our friends and families help to support us in our goals and fulfill our dreams. They build us up when we feel broken down. Meaningful relationships are essential to optimal wellness.
Respecting yourself and others. Christians teach that the second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. This teaching to true regardless of your religious belief, but there are two parts to this teaching. One, you have to love your neighbor. Two, you have to love yourself. Respect is defined "as esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability." Respect is understanding worth, believing in your own worth, and acknowledging others worth. In order to love and respect others, we have to first love and respect ourselves.
Creating a support system. A great way to judge your social wellness is to look at your support group. Do you have a place to call home? Do you have friends or family to turn to for help? Do you have others that you can reach out to in times of need? Do you have a support group that you trust? If you don't, create one. If you do, look at your support group and ask yourself, "Do these people trust me? Am I part of their support group?" Once you have established your support group, it's time to turn that group into a system. That means receiving and giving support. A support system meaning building a family, whether the members are blood relations or not.
There was a point in my life a few years back that I left like my social wellness was suffering severely. I did not have the support system I needed. Instead of meaningful relationships built on respect and communication I had taxing relationships that were filling my mind with doubts about my worth. After much deliberation, I decided to sever some ties. I cut off the relationships that were causing feelings of worthlessness. At first I felt like the worst person in the world because I had cut these people from my life. After some time away, I realized that spending time building up meaningful relationships was crucial to understanding my self-worth. Now that I am in a better place with a wonderful support system, having a few less that meaningful relationships does not affect my sense of worth.
I would encourage each of you to step back to look at your relationships. Are there any that are weighing you down? What can you do to improve those relationships? Perhaps you could try to establish better communication. Perhaps you could try to create a mutual respect. And maybe there are some relationships that are better to walk away from. It is okay to tell someone who is abusive or disrespectful that you need to cut ties. You need to believe in your worth and you need to surround yourself with others that believe in your worth. Build up meaningful relationships based on open communication and mutual respect. Build up a support system where you feel love and trust. If there are relationship that weigh you down, step back until you are in a better place.
As you come to understand your worth, fill your life with others who will help you on this journey. When you understand your worth, go back and help others find their worth. Respect is built on understanding the worth of a soul. Believe in yours and respect others. Why? Because we are worth it!
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