How Socialising Can Give You ‘Joie De Vivre’

Socialising can provide a number of benefits to your physical and mental health. It can be fun and make you feel more connected to the people around you.

Before I started writing for LadyWimbledon.com, I was doing a 9 to 5 with an hour-long commute either side of the day. The daily routine I got myself into was work, gym, cook, bed. I’d stopped socialising. And needless to say, I wasn’t happy!

I gave it up to focus on what I value more: my happiness, and I made more time to socialise. Working freelance has given me more time for me, and led me to meet a bunch of new people. Yes, it can be daunting to put yourself out there, but I’ve found regular socialising has boosted my self-esteem and given me a joie de vivre – a joy of living.

Feel-Good Flora At The NC Supper Club

Research shows that the main benefits of having an active social life are:

You may live longer. People with more social support tend to live longer than those who are more isolated.
You will enjoy better physical health. Social engagement is associated with a stronger immune system. This means that you are better able to fight off colds.
You will enjoy better mental health. Interacting with others boosts feelings of wellbeing and decreases feelings of depression. Research has shown that one sure way of improving your mood is to work on building social connections.

Flora & Lucy At The NC Supper Club

If you’re looking for ways to boost your social engagement, here are some ideas:

Use Skype or Facetime to catch up with family and friends.
Go for a walk and make an effort to smile and say hello to the people you meet.
Sign up for a workshop so you have to opportunity to meet new people.
Volunteer at a charity organisation.
Visit a museum/gallery/show with a friend and chat about what you see.
Invite family or friends over for afternoon tea. Enjoy preparing for this, bake a cake and choose table decorations and teacups.
Play cards or board games with others.
Have a gym buddy! The exercise will make you feel good, and training with someone else can make the whole experience more enjoyable.