The Power of Human Connection

Emma Seppala of the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education has written, “People who feel more connected to others have lower levels of anxiety and depression. Moreover, studies show they also have higher self-esteem, greater empathy for others, are more trusting and cooperative and, as a consequence, others are more open to trusting and cooperating with them." We have the ability to bounce back after stressful situations, which is strengthened when you give to and receive the support of others. Building positive relationships with people can make a difference in how resilient you are. We should cultivate relatopnships with people who have a positive outlook and can make you laugh and help you. The more positive your relationships are, the better you will be able to face life's challenges.

Current circumstances, however, tend to promote social isolation, which is a state of complete or near-complete lack of contact between an individuals within our society.
“Social isolation is far and away the strongest social risk factor out there,” said Steve Cole, a genetics researcher at the University of California Los Angeles.
Social isolation takes a steep toll on the human body, and in turn, can undermine the well-being of nearly every bodily system, including the brain. Studies show that people with limited human connection have significantly more heart disease, are more vulnerable to metastatic cancer, have an increased risk of stroke and are more likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. And with millions of baby boomers now facing a radically growing loss of human connection, the challenges become more obvious!

Creating opportunities for human connection is a constant and sometimes difficult task. Yet there are as many ways to restore the human connection as there are humans. “It is about taking your strength and figuring out how to welcome people.”, says Erik Sten, former City Commissioner of Portland, Oregon. "Creating and fostering human connection is not something that lends itself to public policy planning. Community organizing is essential, and it is a task that is never finished. What I found is that there are all kinds of groups that want to do more. The energy is contagious!"

Here are five hints to restoring that Human Connection:
*1 -Authentic -Be the REAL you
*2 -Presence- Consider the statistics regarding how often we are on our devices,
rather than with your companions? UNPLUG!
*3 - Curiosity- be more curious and interested about the people around you,
than about "me, myself, and I"!
*4 - Gratitude- Express gratitude for everything!
*5 - Patience- None of us is perfect! Celebrate each unique individual!

When your beliefs change, your results change!