Elevate your Life: Vitamin S
Many of us socialise less than ever.
Even though there is strong evidence that those who socialise more live longer, are happier, and even have less chronic pain and inflammation…
We don’t have the time. We are older. We got out of the habit during the lockdown. We are introverts. We don’t drink. We don’t want to catch colds. We get up at 6am. We don’t even like people!
I am no different! I was a guest at Polo in the Park at the Hurlingham Club in London this weekend. While I was there, chatting to other guests, I thought about how much less I socialise now.
Yet meeting new people (and when I talk of socialising, I am talking about attending events where you connect with people you don’t know) is important for all of us.
I have seen that the most successful people have incredibly strong and wide social networks and spend a lot of time working on them. This is why they join clubs like 5 Hertford Street or got to Davos every year, and why their children attend incredibly expensive schools. Although popular culture often imagines the rich as lonely, in fact the exact reverse is true- they are huge community builders. So socialising is essential for success.
It is also important to prevent loneliness and isolation. As we get older, our social circles can change. Divorce, illness, a new job, becoming a parent can sometimes decimate our friendships. So we need to keep socialising to make new connections. These new connections may not initially have the depth of old friendships, but they are the first step to forming new friendships.
And for those looking for a significant other, socialising is a way to get off (as how else are you going to meet a new person?) or compliment dating app use. As we get older, we tend to do more ‘bonding’ (going to dinner with a friend) rather than ‘bridging’ (going to a party with a friend) social activities. But by undertaking more bridging social activities, we have the chance to meet new people and widen our chances of meeting a prospective partner.
I left Polo in the Park having talked with people from all over the world and from all different walks of life. So often we tend to mix with people ‘like us’, so it was refreshing to get to know individuals I might never have otherwise spoken to.
I now plan to socialise once a week ongoing (ambitious but let’s see!). What’s your plan?
