How to have a healing holiday: Finding connection
Feeling connected to the people around us is a big part of mental wellbeing.
This article comes from the ‘How to have a healing holiday’ Collection in the Mentemia app. To see the full series, go to the Apple or Android app.
When we feel supported and have a sense of belonging it can help us to thrive in many areas of our lives.
In the midst of busy times, however, we might find ourselves focussing on pressing commitments and having less time to tend to our relationships.
The holidays can be a great time to reconnect with the people we care about and there are lots of wonderful ways to do that.
See if you can start to prioritise fun and laughter. Think about group activities like playing board games or charades, telling stories, singing or dancing together. It’s these types of shared activities that can have a powerful effect on our sense of connectedness.
It’s no surprise that looking at our phones does not enhance bonding time so put them aside and give each other your full attention.
Read: How to have a healthy relationship with your smartphone
Really listening to people and looking into their eyes helps to boost that sense of human connection and the feel-good brain chemical oxytocin.
Of course, not all family occasions are joyous. If difficult family members mean that holiday events are stressful for you, then you’ll find advice for how to handle that here.
If things don’t go well it can help to reach out to someone else you love and trust. Debriefing afterwards with someone who understands you will help you feel supported.
As well as spending time with loved ones, the holidays are also a great time to reconnect with ourselves. Let’s look at how we can take stock and celebrate how far we’ve come.
For the next piece in this series, go to the Mentemia app.
