5. Connect
Being well connected is associated with improved mental health and wellbeing.
Mental wellbeing means feeling good about yourself and the world around you and being able to get on with life in the way you want.
When we talk about connecting, we usually think of connecting with other people.
However there are other ways of connecting that can have a positive impact on wellbeing:
- Connecting with yourself and having quiet moments
- Connecting with nature, pets and animals
- Making a connection to something you consider to be spiritual
You may want to spend time seeking out “positive” connections and cutting out “negative” ones. By making choices and consciously attending to the connections we make, we can find ourselves more in control of our lives. This can lead to us prioritising living well and focusing on the things that matter.
How you can connect
If you want to increase your positive connections you might want to think about how, today, you can make or strengthen your connections with the people around you.
If you have 5 minutes you could:
- Plan an extra 5 minutes in your morning routine every Monday and ask one person, at work or the school gates, or arriving at your club, how their weekend was. Really listen to their answer
- Find somewhere quiet to sit in silence, or listen to music, for a few minutes each day
- Turn off the tv/device and play a game with your children or pet
If you have half an hour you could:
- Give a colleague a lift to work – Lift Share is a site where you can offer to share your journey with someone , just visit: www.liftshare.com/uk/journeys/from/oldham-uk
- Get chatty – Chatty Cafes have created spaces in local cafes where you can natter over a drink with new customers. It’s a great way to get to know someone and connect with someone new. To find out more look at the chatty cafe link see Chatty Cafés or have a look at the digital map on the Get Oldham Growing website: www.getoldhamgrowing.wordpress.com
If you have an hour or more you could:
- Get in touch with Action Together, they’re always looking for volunteers.
- Join a club or charity that you are interested in
- Use technology to get in touch with distant friends or relatives, make time to Skype, video call or FaceTime
- Arrange a day out with friends you haven’t seen in a while
- Volunteer your time. There are lots of groups and organisations locally who have positions available or need help - Action Together
- Age Uk Oldham
- Oldham Foodbank