Buckeye Wellness – July 17

Summer is a great time to build relations with friends and family. Fostering connections with others creates in us a sense of belonging that is so important to optimal social wellness.

Social wellness is not merely having a big group of friends and family with whom to connect. It includes developing the skills that will help you relate to others in a healthy and meaningful way. There’s a great deal of social wellness that is learned behavior. We can all continually improve on these skills.

Feelings of loneliness or disconnect can take a toll on your body. If you’re feeling socially disconnected, here are ways to build your support network and foster social well-being:

• Disconnect to connect – Disconnect from technology as a daily routine to spend some time communicating face to face with people at home and work.
• Connect with your community – Volunteering can give you a sense of self-worth and connect you to other people. Read more. 
• Be positive – With a positive outlook, you will enjoy yourself more, and other people will enjoy being with you.
• Build a culture of respect – When you model respect for others who may be different from you, you gain respect, too. Read more.

View more ways to foster your social well-being. I am excited to announce a fun and innovative opportunity for all Buckeye Wellness Innovators: you can participate in a pilot study promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors, Fan Health Network! More information is provided below. We hope it piques your interest!

Warm and well regards,

Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, PhD, RN, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN
Vice President for Health Promotion
University Chief Wellness Officer
Dean and Professor, College of Nursing
Professor of Pediatrics & Psychiatry, College of Medicine