Social Health

Creating real connection with someone who sees things differently? That takes a lot more effort. To build connection you have to go out of your way to show you care, expressing genuine interest and a willingness to wade into the waters of vulnerability. It requires patience, effort, and a genuine ability to sit with discomfort.

When you don't have much in common with the people around you, belonging starts to feel like a performance. You're included, technically. You're on the list, you get the invite, you show up. But there's little actual connection underneath it. We’re experiencing belonging in name only, and it’s exhausting.

Like Peggy, there’s more to social health than just wanting to be included. The CDC frames social health as: "the number, quality, and variety of desired relationships". Let's unpack what that actually means, because it's more layered than it sounds.