Social Wellness is the ability to develop friendships, healthy behaviors, and comfortable interactions with others while working for harmony in personal, professional, community, and world environments. Social wellness can be achieved by establishing a supporting group of social networks through family, friends, group associations, or other meaningful relationships. By strengthening our relationships, we strengthen ourselves to interact positively regardless of the situation or outcome. We begin to feel better about who we are and what we can contribute. With this new resolve, we attract additional experiences and relationships while communicating what we truly desire.

Characteristics of Social Wellness:

The Need for Social Wellness

Did you know that ….

“Organizations today face considerable external and internal volatility. Companies must attract and retain workers whose talents are often in short supply and high demand and who may be unexpectedly wooed away by competitors in “the war for talent.”

“This kind of volatility can erode social capital, which thrives on stable connections and adherence to the explicit and tacit agreements that bind people to one another and to the organization.

“Volatility may threaten social capital, but high social capital helps organizations successfully weather its ravages. As the experience of [high social capital] firms shows, community membership and commitment to a shared aim are more reliable weapons in the war for talent – especially the war to retain talent – than signing bonuses and the shaky promise of stock-option riches. Similarly, when organizations that undertake necessary changes understand, respect, and take steps to preserve the value of their existing social capital, the changes are likely to go better, because they are accomplished with the support of the members of the organization. In fact, the challenges of hard times or complex change can foster a sense of solidarity in crisis. High social capital helps firms retain their skills and coherence, even when change occurs that would disrupt or dispirit organizations with smaller social capital reserves.” 

In Good Company, Don Cohen and Laurence Prusak, Harvard Business School Press, 2001

“Research shows that having ambivalent friendships in your life—relationships where interactions are sometimes supportive and positive and sometimes hostile or negative—can actually cause more stress than relationships that are consistently negative! Additionally, relationship conflict and stress have been shown to have a clear negative impact on health, affecting blood pressure, contributing to heart disease, and correlating with other conditions. That’s why it’s in your best interest to minimize or eliminate negative relationships in your life.”

“The Ways And Hows Of Letting Go Of A Relationship That Stresses You Out”, http://stress.about.com/od/relationships/ss/letting_go.htm

Achieving excellence in Social Wellness

You’ll know you’re making progress with Social Wellness when you are able to:

Our contributions to society in the form of work and play give meaning to our lives and leave a legacy to others of our commitment, passion, and existence. Everyday we interact with people in different situations to acquire or offer knowledge. Within that day, it is important for us to understand the human relationship dynamics in order to resolve interpersonal conflicts and maintain a peaceful existence. This includes our interactions through a variety of communication methods in the form of body language, gestures, sounds, and verbal language.

Our community, nature, and physical environment connect each of us to the human race. Maintaining a positive outlook while initiating and encouraging healthy communication will empower us with choices that enhance our personal, professional and community relationships. This will allow us to maintain a balance between the different types of social networks in our lives.

Tips for optimal Social Wellness development

Sandra Larkin Wellness Strategies strives toward the ongoing development and awareness of maintaining solid and positive relationships both personally and professionally. This foundational skill enables associates to understand the correlation between relationships, attitude, and productivity.

You will be able to choose from a variety of Wellness Workshops that are engaging and interactive. Also, Personal Coaching and Executive Coaching will assist individuals or groups to improve not only relationships, but corporate attitude and professional motivation. Our Women’s Leadership Group specifically targets women at all levels and ages in the organization by providing them with positive direction, work/life suggestions, leadership, and networking skills.