Our strong social connections are important for overall mood enhancement and can help us through ‘blue’ periods, times when we need advice, or simply a distraction from the troubles in our life.
The Australian Psychological Society has also released a set of tips to help people to thrive socially. Some of these include:
Think positive – don’t overthink your social interactions
Forget comparison – quality is more important than quantity
Expect change – relationships shift over time and we may lose touch with friends who were once important.
Listen well – respond warmly, ask questions and really listen.
Help – helping someone gives a feel-good rush.
Join in – embrace opportunities to join, volunteer or participate.
Reconnect – reach out to friends from your past.
Chat to strangers – unexpected moments of interaction can improve your mood.
Tolerate discomfort – continually reach out to others and your social skills will improve.
