Social Connection Builds Resilience
Social Connection Builds Resilience
Social Connection Builds Resilience
Humans are social creatures with emotional needs for relationships and positive connections to others. Our social brain craves companionship. We are not meant to survive, let alone thrive, in isolation.
I am so grateful for my tribe. I have some amazing friends and I’m not sure how I would have survived this far without them. These are the people I call when I feel broken. These are the shoulders I cry on. These are my friends who catch me when I fall (and then laugh at me hysterically).
Every April (except this one thanks to COVID), my best girlfriends and I take a camping trip. It is a weekend that I look forward to for months and one of my personal resilience-building strategies.
Different friends ebb and flow through the course of your life, but if you are lucky enough, you will have a lifelong tribe who loves you to your core.
It has been proven that social connection is one of the best predictors of longevity, so in a time where it is so easy to slip into social isolation, here are 4 ways to stay tight with your tribe:
#1 – Know Your Why
I watched a great video recently from Simon Sinek (still can’t believe I got to share a page with him in SUCCESS Magazine) about Why We Form Tribes. He said that we form tribes and connections around a common vision or shared values. We trust the people we’re in the tribe with for better or worse. So, ideally, you want a tribe to form around vision and value.
We are all going through the shared experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, and when you are anxious or feeling down, it is much easier to isolate yourself. Resist the urge to withdraw and make an effort to stay connected to the people in your life that matter most – at an appropriate social distance, of course.
#2 – You Are Not Alone
Social connection and community drive resilience. Like optimism and gratitude, the happiness boost you get from connection with others is crucial to your health and well-being and a key element to building resilience. Having friendships and a sense of belonging is considered a core psychological need and has a big impact on our physical health. One study found that loneliness is toxic. In fact, it’s more harmful to health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.
The number of friends you have isn’t as important as the quality of those friendships. Social connection doesn’t mean you have to be an extrovert. It is simply acknowledging that we need each other.
#3 – Seek Support
According to Sinek, we seek out people who have shared experiences because we feel safer in those tribes. Support groups have been one of the ways I have been able to survive this journey with my son, Evan. I credit my support group and my teachers at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) for helping me survive some of my roughest times. Studies have found that meeting other people who are further along in the same journey helps you to overcome permanence by showing you that you won’t be stuck where you are forever.
Support groups connect you with others who really get what you’re going through and provide human connection. The club that no one wants to be a part of provides incredible bonding. Shared hardships actually make us release oxytocin, the feel-good hormone, and creates common understanding.
#4 – Show Some Love
Take time to connect with the people in your life. Send a text right now to someone. Something as simple as, “I was just thinking about you” can be the little boost that person needs. The added bonus is that you feel good in the process. And, while we all like friends that are sweet and loving, we also need the ones that don’t bullsh*t us, pull any punches, and will hold our feet to the fire. This week, post a photo of you and your tribe on Facebook or Instagram and tag us @AnneGradyGroup!
Our new “normal” has flipped the way we connect upside down, but it hasn’t changed the need to connect. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, celebrate, and laugh with you.
Stay brave and resilient,
Anne
Subscribe to Anne's #RoutineResilience Email!
Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
Having friendships and a sense of belonging is considered a core psychological need and has a big impact on our physical and mental health.
In fact, it has been proven that social connection is one of the best predictors of longevity, which is why I`ve dedicated an entire module in the Resilience Reset Deep Dive to the importance of social connection to build resilience. Learn more 👉👉👉 https://www.annegradygroup.com/deepdive/
Here`s what my girls Wendy and Daisy have taught me about the importance of connection 🎥
Let’s face it - life is stressful. The lines between our personal and professional lives have blurred, we are overwhelmed by increased workloads and decreased resources, and there is an unprecedented amount of change and uncertainty.
Uncertainty often leads to anxiety because the brain tends to fill in the gaps with worst-case scenarios. You can help your brain cope with anxiety by practicing these skills 👇
1️⃣ Cultivate a Growth Mindset
2️⃣ Practice Mindfulness
3️⃣ Control the controllables
4️⃣ Break it down
5️⃣ Maintain Healthy Habits
More tips and strategies are in this month’s blog post. The link is in my bio!
Did you know that resilient teams have:
⭐️ 74% less stress AND 75% greater productivity
⭐️ Higher engagement and performance
⭐️ Improved Innovation and creativity
⭐️ Stronger relationships & Greater well-being
Using the latest research in neuroscience and psychology, the Resilience Reset Deep Dive provides a road map to developing resilient leaders, teams, and organizations. Interested in learning more? Here`s a sneak preview of one of the modules. 🎥👀
#ThrowbackThursday to a Tiger King Halloween 🐯
Realistic optimism is a mindset that combines a positive outlook with a grounded understanding of reality. It involves maintaining hope and confidence while acknowledging and accepting the challenges and uncertainties of life.
Rather than denying or minimizing difficulties, approach situations with resilience, flexibility, and a belief in your ability to navigate obstacles effectively. You’ve got this. #mindfulmonday
We’ve all had those days where everything seems to go wrong. You wake up late, your coffee spills and your car won’t start. It’s easy to let a lousy morning spiral out of control and ruin your entire day.
Wherever we direct our attention becomes our reality. In other words, we find what we look for. Here are 3 things you can do to create a bad moment boundary:
1️⃣ Accept It: The sooner you can give it a quick “It is what it is” label, the better.
2️⃣ Put It in a Box: You can revisit the box later, but for now, the box holds this experience, and you don’t need to carry it.
3️⃣ Reset: Rather than jump into the next task or activity, take three deep breaths, extending the exhale.
For weekly resilience-building tips, tools, and strategies, sign up for my newsletter here 👇
https://www.annegradygroup.com/strong/
*Link is also in my bio*
Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work and Strong Enough: Choosing Courage, Resilience and Triumph.