Feeling a sense of connection via authentic, meaningful relationships is a vital pillar of positive resilience.  It is about a sense of belonging and having people around you to give and receive support.

The importance of connectedness for positive resilience

Connectedness is a pillar of positive resilience and having meaningful, authentic relationships with others is vital for our overall wellbeing.  This is not about whether you are an introvert or extravert, or enjoy actively socialising with others, and it is certainly not about the innumerable social media connections we might have.  

The phrase I use for the important connections in our life is ‘the people who are in our corner’.   Those that are there for us and we can turn to for support, and those we proactively and willingly support.  It is the people we feel able to be our real, authentic self with, and know they value us being in their world.

Connectedness is about how we build, and work to actively retain, strong networks in different areas of our life.  It is about both the quality and variety of these relationships.  Through this we develop a sense of belonging and can draw on these networks to give and receive support.  We are able to both share and receive guidance, advice, and help.

 The benefits of being connected

The importance of being connected is evidenced by research. Meaningful relationships with others feature in some way in almost every model of wellbeing – the PERMA model from positive psychology, one of the Five  Ways to Wellbeing identified by the New Economics Foundation, a Key to Happier Living in the Action for Happiness framework, as well as one of the Seven Pillars of Positive Resilience.

Recent research showed that sadly 7% of people in Great Britain experience chronic loneliness, with 49% saying they felt lonely some of the time, occasionally, often, or always.  This is not the same as isolation.  People can feel content on their own and lonely in a crowd.  Loneliness is an emotion that is an outcome of a lack of meaningful connection with others.  Loneliness increases the risk of poor mental health, particularly depression.

The benefits of connections are many and are associated with both the quality and variety of our relationships.  There are positive links to happiness, improved physical and mental health, resilience, and flourishing.  Ina work environment strong connections contribute to high performing teams.

Tips for building stronger connections in your world

• Identify the sources of support in the different areas of your life. Who would you turn to if things got difficult and who would you hope felt able to turn to you?
• Check that you have support in all areas of your life. Are there any gaps? Where would you benefit from greater connectedness?
• Are you spending time with the people that allow you to be and feel your whole self? This is the difference between altering who we are to fit in and feeling a sense of belonging.  Focus on that sense of belonging.
• What actions can / do you actively take to nurture and value your relationships. Identify one action you can take to strengthen your connection with someone in your life.
• It is important to recognise a key element of connectedness is the give and take of support. Look for opportunities to provide support and encourage others to ask for it. Actively seek support when you are facing challenges – don’t feel you have to cope on your own.

This is the one of a series of blog about the Seven Pillars of Positive Resilience.  Each includes tips on developing the resource. You will notice overlaps and focusing on one can benefit other pillars with a cumulative outcome of greater positive resilience.  If you would like your personal Positive Resilience Profile to identify your current level in each of the areas get in touch.

The Positive Resilience Profile is a psychometric test developed by Peoplewise which we are accredited to provide.  It enables you to understand your current level in each pillar and get tailored guidance on developing each to enhance your positive resilience.  Contact us now to learn how to get your profile.