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Human beings are social creatures, and our relationships with others play a fundamental role in our overall health and happiness. If our brain detects that we do not have secure connections, this triggers a stress response and our self-esteem plummets.

Building strong relationships is important for your wellbeing as they can:

• Give you a chance to share positive experiences
• Help you to build a sense of self-worth and belonging
• Provide you with emotional support and allow you to support others.

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, love and belonging are among the most important needs we must meet.

It’s good to have healthy relationships with family, friends, and colleagues, but what is often overlooked are the connections we make with strangers. A smile or a hello to a stranger helps to provide positive social feedback, and research shows that people continue to feel happier the more interactions they make.

Listen to the short podcast ‘Why a stranger’s hello can do more than just brighten your day’ from All Things Considered.

Tips to help you to boost your sense of connection:

• Take time each day to be with your family, for example, try arranging a fixed time to eat dinner together.
• Introduce yourself to someone new.
• Call someone on the phone instead of sending an email or a text.
• Organise a day out with friends.
• Try to switch off the TV to talk or play a game with your children, friends, or family.
• Eat lunch with a colleague.
• Visit a friend or family member who needs support or company.
• Use apps such as Bumble BFF, Meetup, or Nextdoor to meet friends with similar interests or who live local to you.
• Join a club such as Loughborough Ramblers or Incredible Edible Loughborough and meet like-minded people.
• Visit the Loughborough Wellbeing Café.

How you can connect with others at the University:

• Get active with a range of sports sessions on the Loughborough campus.
• Network with colleagues by joining a Staff Network.
• Access the University Chaplaincy.
• Consider joining the University Choir.
• Keep an eye on the University Events page where you can attend events and meet others with similar interests to you.