July 2026 – Social Wellbeing Awareness

Summer naturally pulls us outdoors, offering a perfect backdrop to strengthen social connections and boost our collective wellbeing. Longer days and warmer weather create a unique window to transition from isolated routines into shared, community-driven experiences.

Social well-being is the sharing, developing and sustaining meaningful connections with others. Benefits of social well-being can include being comfortable where you are in social situations, increased self-esteem, the ability to create healthy boundaries and helping build emotional resilience.

Without awareness of your social well-being, you risk becoming socially isolated. Social isolation is the withdrawal from human relationships and can lead to feelings of fear and loneliness.

Loneliness can negatively affect your health, including behaviors, mental health, physical health and mortality risk. A sense of belonging is crucial to the way humans function and correlates with feelings of loneliness if someone doesn’t feel they belong.

Building the foundation for healthy social well-being can be difficult, especially when it’s not something you’re used to.


Tips for Managing Social Well-being

Here are some best practices to maintain social well-being.

· Make connections. You can make connections at any phase of life. Whether you just started a new job, moved to a new state or switched communities, you can work through creating new relationships. A large part of making new connections is getting involved in any social events in your communities, whether at work or in your personal life.

· Get involved. Find new events or groups to be a part of in your community, whether through a volunteer opportunity at work or a local event. If you’re unsure how to get involved, think of your hobbies. Research events related to your hobbies in the area or try learning something new. If your neighborhood has events, get involved. Helping others can reduce loneliness, so finding volunteer opportunities can also benefit our social well-being as we make new connections.

· Bond with your loved ones. Strong relationships are essential no matter your phase of life. Before building new connections, it’s important to protect and nurture your existing relationships. Spend time with your loved ones without distractions. Unplug and stay engaged.

· Invest in yourself. Taking care of yourself before anyone else is crucial when discussing social well-being. If you’re at your best, you can be at your best for your friends, colleagues and loved ones alike. Consistently prioritizing others’ needs over your own can lead to increased stress. Be sure to balance your time wisely.