Did you know that loneliness can kill? According to the Department of Health – loneliness not only makes you sad, it can also make you sick. The loneliness epidemic was declared just recently by the Surgeon General, who urged citizens to improve the quality and quantity of their social connections. According to the advisory, prolonged loneliness can cause a greater risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, anxiety, depression, and even premature death.
The solution? Well, Surgeon General Murthy suggests four basic tips to curing the loneliness epidemic – all of which we’ll discuss below, as well as one easy way to achieve them. With over 31 years of experience conquering loneliness – Events & Adventures knows how you can start living a life you love.
Tip #1 – Connect – “Answer a call from a friend.”
Murthy says that making a connection can be as simple as answering a phone call from a friend. And while that’s easy to achieve if you have friends who call you – what if you don’t anymore? Most people make new connections through shared activities like school, work, or hobbies. Other connections can be made through those friends, as well as from family members, and even random encounters. If you’ve exhausted those avenues and no one is calling your phone – consider joining a social club, an activity club – or any other kind of club! Sharing your mutual interests with other people is the best way to make long-lasting relationships, built on common ground. We know one particularly awesome club that’s been around for quite a while… maybe you should check them out!
Tip #2 – Share – “Invite someone over for dinner.”
In the same way that sharing your interests can help to build healthy relationships, so does sharing your time and space. Sometimes, all it takes is initiating an activity outside of planned events to spark a deeper friendship with both individuals and groups. Maybe it’s inviting someone over for a meal you prepared, or perhaps it’s just catching a movie together. Either way, make time for your relationships outside of regularly planned interactions. Sharing yourself with friends and loved ones can make a real difference in fighting back against the loneliness epidemic.
Tip #3 – Listen – “Be present during conversations.”
Ever hear that “just being there” is usually enough? It’s true! Our members say that we’re awesome listeners – always making time to hear their concerns and address them with sincerity. But that’s literally what friends are for! A friend in need is a friend indeed, and a loneliness epidemic is definitely a time of need. The problem is, people are often so consumed with their own lives and problems, that being a good listener is not as easy as it sounds. It requires putting yourself aside for a moment, or several moments, to be there for someone else. Still, it’s not all about them… When you truly and empathetically listen, your bond grows stronger than ever before. So, the next time someone opens up – listen up.
Tip #4 – Serve – “Seek out opportunities to serve others.”
Another popular saying is – “there’s no such thing as a selfless act.” The reasoning for this is – if you trace any action back to its root motivation – it was selfish in nature. For example, the only reason you gave a beggar all of your money was because it made you happy to help someone. Thus, even the most altruistic act can be self-serving. The fact is – whether selfish or selfless – doing something for someone else just feels good for everyone involved. Without being too spiritual or philosophical – when you put good into the universe, it tends to come back around to you. Plus, like we’ve said, serving others is essentially the same as serving yourself.
Bonus Tip – Unite – “Events & Adventures awaits”
Events & Adventures makes these four tips more attainable so you can battle the loneliness epidemic. Connect with thousands of our single members across 14 U.S. cities; share over 30 unique activities planned for members every single month; listen to stories from your new friends and forge deeper bonds; and lastly, serve yourself – as well as your new friends – just by being present with them at our events.
With over 31 years of bringing single people together – there’s no singles club that does it bigger – or better. Join us for bucket-list adventures and life-changing events where you can make connections and memories that will last you a lifetime. Some of our members have even fallen in love and gotten married! Remember, living alone doesn’t have to mean lonely. If you want to start living a life you love with single people just like you – get started today – with Events & Adventures.