We are social beings created not to live in isolation but within community. We have to be proactive about building connection.
We have legitimate needs for belonging, love, and affection. Maintaining close, personal relationships is vital to our physical and emotional health. Laughing with friends is a powerful stress reducer.
Learn the Enneagram: One of my favorite ways to understand myself and my friends is to learn about the Enneagram. Why? Some people are really annoying, and it may be becausethey have a different perspective or value than me. The Enneagram explores, and understanding the different types (and variables) helps me not only to understand myself, but grow in empathy of others as well. I’d encourage you to read over each of the types as a start. Don’t rush into figuring out what yours, or others’ are, but instead pay attention to what phrases resonate with you or put into words what you’ve experienced. From there, find someone else that nerds out about the enneagram (or follow the many enneagram instagram pages) to learn more!
Practice Silence and Solitude: Practicing Silence and Solitude is also an aspect of Social Self Care— Practicing the Way goes over some aspects of how to incorporate this discipline into this season of life.
Improve your Dating: If you’re seriously dating, there’s an incredible online Dating Course (with a very cheesy title but really good materials) that my husband and I did while we were dating, and it made it clear that we were good partners for each other. Now is a great time to watch and discuss together.
Find and Give Accountability: Find someone to hold you accountable in this season—be that in an area you want to change, grow or let go of—have someone that will check in and encourage you to stick with your goal.
Enjoy Time as a Couple: Lots of couples will be home together, and for many of you, it’s been awhile since you’ve had time together. Enjoy it! Use the tips above for conflict resolution! A resource that my husband and I have used every anniversary as a tool to check in with each other is this Couple Check Up. Also, there are some fun date ideas you can do at home on Pinterest. Our goal is to always have better communication to stay connected, plan, dream, encourage and appreciate each other. Use whatever helps facilitate that for you. No matter how small or large your space is, with a little intentionality, you can love your significant other well in this time! If you haven’t already, this could also be a good time to practice the love languages, to see how well you are, or aren’t, speaking the love language of your significant other! (Again, many ideas are on Pinterest).
Create a fun, weekly tradition
Play: basketball, volleyball, disc golf, ultimate frisbee - start a team
Send out a newsletter with pictures, stories of your life to connect with people back home
Make a video of your life and share it
Start a small exercise group with friends where you work out together
Read past emails/postcards/letters etc from friends and family reminding you of happier times
Skype your family and/or friends
Write a letter to someone you miss
Make a new friend - reach out to someone you’ve been meaning to
Do something nice for one of your friends
Learn how to bake something new with someone
Ask someone to teach you how to make something
Host a dance party and play your favorite old-school cheesy music
Host a game or trivia night (great games- fishbowl, Uno)
Get a mediator or supervisor involved in team conflict (team conflict is one of the highest causes of burnout- so deal with it don’t let it simmer)
Reach out to past students + staff — check in with how people are doing
Download Marco Polo to send video messages to friends and family
