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As busy, ambitious young women, it is important to incorporate social wellness activities into our weekly routines.
Engaging with friends and family members, joining local organizations, and making new connections are all integral to your overall wellness journey.
With these empowering social wellness activities, you’ll have a plethora of ways to boost your self-confidence, deepen your relationships, and interact with your community.
This post is all about social wellness activities.
Social Wellness Activities
Why is social wellness important?
Firstly, your social wellbeing is extremely correlated to your mental and physical health. There are several short and long-term impacts to be had–especially since we are inherently social creatures!
Social wellness interacts with several other dimensions of your holistic wellness, including your emotional and spiritual well-being.
For example, romantic relationships and friendships are sources of emotional support and individual satisfaction that ultimately influence your lifetime happiness.
In addition, social bonds with partners and friends can teach us better habits and behaviors, which play a role in our own longevity.
Those who use social wellness exercises tend to be more assertive and willing to resolve conflict.
Social support also reduces stress and can boost your cardiovascular, immune, and endocrine responses.
Given all these compelling reasons, we’ve gathered a list of over 30 (!) social wellness activities examples to get you on the road to improving your social life.
Social Wellness Quotes
Before we dive into the tools for enhancing your social wellbeing, here are some social wellness quotes to ground your process:
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
– Oprah Winfrey
“Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.”
– Lisa Olivera
“One of the hallmarks of social wellness is being inclusive, not exclusive, with our friendship.”
– Laurie Buchanan
Top Social Well-Being Examples
What are examples of social wellness?
Well, let’s get into how to improve social wellness! Be sure to jot down which of these incredible ideas resonate with you the most, so that you remember to use them for the future:
1. FaceTime your long-distance friend
One of the most important things you can do to enhance your social wellness is to foster the relationships that mean the most to you.
And if this person happens to live far away, why not leverage all the transformative technology around us to have a live conversation and catch up!
By setting up a regular, weekly FaceTime session with your long-distance friend (or family member), you’ll make it a point to stay in touch and up to date on each other’s lives.
2. Become a part of a local meetup group
Another great idea is to join a local meetup group and connect with like-minded individuals!
Chances are, the people in the cohort are there for similar reasons to you: to get involved with a topic they’re passionate about and meet new faces.
Here are some types of adult groups to consider:
- Local book club
- Hiking group
- Ski club
- Gourmet club
- Meditation center
- Bowling league
3. Avoid negative people
While we may not be able to choose our family, we can set boundaries and limit our exposure to negative individuals.
As you engage in your own self discovery, you’ll see why protecting your energy is so important! And as you lessen the burden of those with unaligned mindsets in your world, you’ll become a much happier, independent thinker.
4. Organize a potluck dinner with friends
Another incredible social wellbeing activity is to put together a monthly potluck dinner with friends.
Create a theme for each evening and have your guests bring a dish, or supplies, to contribute to the night!
You can even invite people over from work and your personal friend groups, and have everyone get to know each other.
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5. Make a lunch date with a loved one
One of the best strategies for unwinding and relaxing, especially after a hard week, is to set up lunch with someone you love.
This doesn’t have to be super intensive: just being in the company of someone you value and engaging in meaningful conversation does wonders for your social wellness.
6. Volunteer in your community
Additionally, another one of my go-to activities for social wellness is volunteering in your community.
There are so many types of organizations to get involved with so the possibilities are truly endless!
- Habitat for Humanity
- Boys and Girls Club
- American Red Cross
- UnitedWay
- Make-a-Wish
- Salvation Army
- Your local soup kitchen
And not only will you feel fulfilled after, but you’ll likely form some new connections along the way.
7. Travel with friends (or strangers)
Why not book a trip for yourself with some of your closest friends, or alone, and explore a new country?
With travel companies like EF Ultimate Break, it’s easy to set an itinerary and book your vacations worry-free.
8. Join a group fitness class
Also, another one of the best activities to improve your social well-being and your physical health is joining a group exercise class.
Several gyms host run clubs, pilates or spin classes, Zumba sessions, and more!
While the focus is on working out and feeling good in your skin, you’ll likely mingle with other attendees and come to find you share similar passions and goals.
9. Find a social club
Luckily, the Internet and social media have made it easy to discover social clubs for your career and your hobbies!
Since socializing and forming new connections is a frequent wellness goal of Self Assembly Guide readers, why not make it a routine thing and commit to a membership organization?
While every city has its own offerings, often with various requirements and dues to join, the benefits make them well worth investigating.
10. Schedule monthly girls’ dinners
Another fun way to socialize is by setting monthly gals dinners with your closest pals. Every month, you can rotate who sets the reservation.
Make it a point to be present and interactive on these dinner nights, and I promise you that over time, you’ll see your social life blooming.
11. Double date nights
You can also consider setting up double date nights with your favorite couple to spice up your usual weekend dates.
Sometimes, inviting another pairing along sparks new, exciting conversations, and can ultimately deepen the bond you have with your partner.
Of course, it’s important to be mindful of who you’re including, as you don’t want this to drain your social battery and leave you feeling unfulfilled at the end of the night.
12. Take a continuing education class
Additionally, as you continue forming your identity throughout your 20s, it’s important to consider your social life too!
That’s why enrolling in a continuing education course at a local college or over Zoom is a great way to hit your professional goals while also meeting like-minded people!
Companies like Master Class, Coursera, and UDemy have catalogs of class offerings for every skill set and industry, and I highly recommend seeing which course works for you!
13. Do a random act of kindness
One of the most gratifying social wellness tips is engaging in random acts of kindness throughout your community.
Sometimes, you find connection and social satisfaction when you least expect it–and when you intend to serve others, you often reap enormous benefits.
Here are some ideas to spark your creativity:
- Hand out flowers at your local supermarket
- Pay for the person behind you online at Starbucks
- Compliment someone for no reason!
- Hold the door open for the following guest
- Let someone go ahead of you on line
- Bake cookies for your neighbors
- Send someone a care package
- Leave a dollar on a vending machine
14. Run a 5k for charity
There’s no better way to get your blood flowing and improve your cardiovascular health than running a 5k for charity!
You can even invite a gym friend or family member to tag along and run the race together. The hosting organization often gives away free t-shirts and a post-run meal to connect with fellow runners.
For example, in the New York area, the Bronx Zoo hosts its annual Run for the Wild to support endangered sloths.
15. Start an office group at work
If you’re searching for social wellness activities for adults and social wellness activities at work, consider starting up an office group with your colleagues!
These can be centered around commonalities, including women in tech, Latinos in HR, young parents, etc.
Also, you can consider forming a monthly networking group where you share intel on the job market, career growth, and more!
16. Practice active listening
One of the best ways to tie your spiritual wellness and social well being together is by practicing being an active listener.
At the end of the day, no matter how many people you hangout with throughout the week, if you’re not being present and grounding your attention in the person in front of you, you will likely not feel very connected.
By being an active listener, you’ll practice your spiritual beliefs while also staying socially engaged.
17. Stroll in your local park
Another fantastic idea to socialize, especially if you live alone, is by walking through your local park and hanging out for an hour.
You never know who will sit beside you on the bench and strike up a conversation!
18. Virtual happy hours
What better way to boost your social well being, especially if you work from home, than by hosting a virtual happy hour each month!
Gather your work buddies or dog park friends, and get together for a cocktail and some snacks. Everyone can share their life updates, and you can even invite your furry friends to make an appearance on screen.
19. Celebrate cultural events
Also, if you are a very religious or culturally-tied person, make it a point to honor your festive events with others.
By surrounding yourself with people who share similar beliefs and traditions, you’re able to learn new things about your culture and gain deeper awareness of your faith.
20. Take part in a recreational sports league
No matter what city or town you live in, your county likely has a recreational league for all sorts of sports, including soccer, basketball, beach volleyball, tennis, and more!
Sign up solo or grab a few friends to form a team. Every week, you’ll be facing off against a new group and socializing with a new set of faces.
This idea will also raise your physical health in a fun, carefree way!
21. Gather friends for a book club
In addition, if you can’t find a book club in your town, why not start your own… share a post on social media looking for members, and pick a date and a book to get started.
When you host everyone, be sure to create a welcoming environment full of snacks and refreshments to keep the group engaged.
Here are some book recommendations for young women to use in your first meetup:
22. Go on a wellness retreat
Another one of the most adventurous social wellness activities is joining a wellness retreat.
There are so many organizations that put together weekend trips (or extended stays) in eye-catching destinations.
These retreats tend to be focused on all dimensions of wellness, especially mental and emotional, but while you’re there, you will be boosting your social well being as well.
23. Attend a networking event
One of my favorite social wellness activities for students is finding a networking event in your area and getting to know career paths for your chosen field.
Not only do these events tend to offer a yummy meal, but they also give you the chance to make connections to last throughout your professional life.
24. Meet friends of friends
Playing off some of the previous tips, why not ask your friends to invite their friends to a dinner night, so that you can get to know them as well!?
You all likely share common aspirations. And you can always start doing this first, so that the people you’re surrounding yourself with feel inspired to bring new people into the group too.
Sometimes, people need reassurance so that they can bounce off the tone you’re setting for the relationship. It’s a win-win!
25. Pick up a new project at work
Another one of the best social wellness activities at work is to sign up for a new assignment. This can be based in a different office location or on a new team.
Essentially, the point is to engage with new colleagues and forge relationships with new faces from across the organization.
Who knows, these work buddies can turn into life-long personal friends.
26. Visit a relative in another state
If you’re itching to get out of your hometown, why not book a trip to see your relatives, and get to know the city they live in?
Chances are, while you’re exploring this new state, you’ll bump into other travelers looking to adventure and learn more about themselves (and the place you’re in).
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27. Become a mentor
One of the greatest social emotional wellness activities is becoming a mentor to those in the same personal situation or professional field as you.
This is a perfect tool to invest in yourself while also giving back to those trying to get to the spot you’re in today.
Also, being a mentor forces you to reflect on how far you’ve come in your life and be grateful for your strengths… as well as the hardships that brought you to where you are today.
28. Host a bake-off
Sometimes, the best social well being activities have a little goofiness to them–they make you feel like a little kid again.
Hosting a bake-off with your gal group is such a creative, fun way to socialize! Everyone can bring their own ingredients and at the end, you’ll taste test each treat and declare a winner.
29. Take a painting class
There are so many artsy shops opening up across the US, and many of them host paint and sip nights–for a fixed price, you can design a canvas and enjoy your favorite wine.
Again, you can go solo and mingle, or turn this into a date activity!
30. Go to a concert
If you see your favorite artist is going on tour, turn it into a fun social night and buy tickets for your friend group!
You’ll get to listen to your favorite music and make unforgettable memories with the closest people in your life.
31. Hang out at your local library
Did you know your library likely has a monthly newsletter full of FREE social activities to join, no matter what your interests are?
Sign up for a class, or wander around in search of a new book. Stay for an hour or so, and you never know who you’ll strike up a conversation with.
32. Stay active in online forums
A great social wellness activity for the predominantly introverted person is to join online forums.
These social interactions happen from the comfort of your own home, but can make you feel more connected than ever before!
33. Be a plus one to a friend’s event
Last but not least, make it known that you’re the friend who would love to accompany your friends as a plus one to any events they have coming up.
While you’re there, whether it’s a wedding or a work party, I’m positive you’ll be chatting away with people who have the same goals and mindset as you.
Social Wellness Activities: Wrapping it Up
Are you planning on using any of these social wellness examples in the future? I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
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