5 for 5 Connection Challenge; Reader's Choice Awards...
Plus Giveaway Winners and a Magazine Cover(!!)
Welcome to Belonging and the Human Experience!! And a warm welcome to new subscribers that signed up via the Readers Wonderland Giveaway - I’m so happy you’re here! (Please make sure you move these to your primary inbox if you’re viewing via email to keep these from going to spam.)
Reader’s Choice Awards
I’m popping in mid-week to share a couple of things. First, I just found out I’m a finalist in the IVP Reader’s Choice Awards! Voting is through today, Wednesday, November 20, 11:59pm. I’d be honored if you’d vote for me. Here’s a link to vote: https://www.ivpress.com/pages/2024-readers-choice-awards
Reader’s Wonderland Giveaway
Second, congrats to the winners of the Readers Wonderland Giveaway! In case you are wondering who won, here are the winners:
Book Bundle 1: Kyla L. (my book is in this bundle)
Book Bundle 2: Yolanda W.
Gift Card Winners: Kari B. and Donna B.
Congratulations!! Your prizes are on the way to you.
Together Magazine
I want to say a huge thanks to Together Magazine in the UK for interviewing me about my book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness! I had no idea they were going to put my photo on the cover, too - that was a huge surprise. I continue to talk about social isolation and loneliness and how it affects our well-being and health. It's so important to have these discussions and talk about strategies to alleviate social disconnection. If you're looking for a speaker for your next event, I talk about a number of topics and am willing to discuss crafting a topic of interest to you and your organization. More information on my speaking is here at my website: https://lnkd.in/dm2bbAiX
Addressing the Loneliness Epidemic
We are living in an epidemic of loneliness and lack of social connection. If this is you, you are not alone. A lack of social connection has serious implications for our health:
· Living in isolation increases the risk for premature mortality by 29%.
· Social isolation, and loneliness can increase your risk of heart disease by 29% and risk of stroke by 32%.
· Social isolation can increase inflammation in the body to the same degree as physical inactivity.
· Adults who report feeling lonely often are more than twice as likely to develop depression.
· People with strong perceptions of community belongingness are 2.6 times more likely to report good or excellent health.
· Loneliness and poor social support have been found to significantly contribute to the development and severity of illnesses after exposure to viruses.
(Source: https://lnkd.in/geVJ3A6Z)
Maybe this is surprising. But it shouldn’t be. Why? Because WE ARE MADE TO CONNECT!
So what can we do about it? There are several things we can do. The Surgeon General has a 5 for 5 Connection Challenge. Here’s how it works:
1) Commit to Connect - pick 5 consecutive days to connect with other people
2) Take one simple action each day for 5 days to: ask for help, express gratitude, or offer support (see the toolkit link below)
3) Reflect and share on the actions you took
(Source: https://lnkd.in/gBYXvRbh)
We also can make a longer term plan:
1) Read my book Beyond Ethnic Loneliness for a deeper understanding of what it means to belong. My book is a handbook on steps we can take to help alleviate loneliness and foster a sense of belonging! I promise - it's not just for people of color! (On sale right now for $14.73 on Amazon, https://lnkd.in/gnq3zGj2)
2) Make an intentional plan to connect more long-term with others. Volunteer somewhere. Help others in need. Do an act of kindness for someone else. Or ask for help from someone else.
3) Make one change to connect with someone who is different from you
Loneliness is a sign that something is amiss: it is a wake-up call that we need each other. The ironic thing about social connection and loneliness is that we need each other to help us move beyond it.
It IS possible to move BEYOND LONELINESS.
Cheering us all on toward being more socially connected and healthier!
What piece of the 5 for 5 Connection Challenge resonates with you? I like the idea of asking for help or giving help. Often volunteering or helping someone else is a way to uplift our spirits. But we are also often reluctant to ask for help when we need it. We need to ask for help as much as we need to offer it to someone else.
I’ll be back to our usual Monday newsletter next week with more updates. Don’t forget to vote in the IVP Reader’s Choice Awards. Until then. much love to you, dear reader.
Make it a lovely one,
