No one should have to go through life alone. If you have a list of people you can call when you want a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, it makes life a whole lot easier. Life is even more fulfilling when you have special people with whom you can share victories and create cherished memories. Consider these ideas on how to establish and keep contact with others to maintain an active support system: 1. Vow to talk to 2 people in your family each week. Whether you’re communicating to a brother, sister, or an extended family member, make a personal decision to phone or visit 2 family members per week.
2. Keep steady “real time” contact with your good friends. Have you noticed your phone and face-to-face time with old friends has decreased since the advent of email, Facebook, and the like? Make the extra effort to schedule lunch or an outing together, or even extend an invitation to them to just come over to your house and hang out together. 3. Join a club or organized group to share a hobby you love. Although you’ve probably heard this suggestion before, you might think, “I’m just not a ‘club’ sort of person.” But if you’re looking to expand your social contacts, why not try joining a group?
4. Tune in to your neighbors. You wouldn’t be the first person who took his neighbors for granted. However, you might be living near some very fascinating and friendly people. Why not take advantage of it? If you haven’t already, introduce yourself to your neighbors when you see them outdoors. Offer to help your neighbors carry in groceries.
The human condition can at times trigger feelings of loneliness and isolation. But you can do plenty of things to overcome or even banish those feelings from your life. Keeping weekly contact with family members, having more talks and visits with friends, joining organized groups, and taking notice of your neighbors are ways to expand and maintain a supportive social network. Commit to continue to reach out to others. You’ll both enjoy it!
Accessibility Tools
