Connect with others

Connecting with others doesn’t have be about making as many new friends as possible – as lovely as that would be! It’s more about doing small things each day to help you feel more closely connected and valued by others which can help combat isolation.

Small, subtle activities can be enough to help create a feeling of connection which can help buffer against mental ill health. Reaching out to someone to check they’re ok can also make a huge difference if they’re struggling. Here are just a few ideas:

• Offer a colleague a lift to work, or share the journey home with them
• Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is, and really listen to what they have to say
• Speak to someone new! This could be in the queue in a cafe, at the supermarket, or at the bus stop.
• Talk to a friend over the phone, or arrange to meet up with them in person.

If you’re thinking about making a bigger change, here are some options our community endorse:

• Join a group, activity or class. Have a look at the activities section to browse what’s on or search for something that interests you.
• Volunteering. This is a great way to learn new skills and to ‘give back’ whilst feeling part of a community. One of the best things about volunteering (in our humble opinion!) is meeting new people and making new connections. Check out the Volunteer Centre Sheffield for opportunities to volunteer at a range of charities, community groups and organisations.
• Join an online community. Sheffield Flourish (who built this website) run a website where people can read and share stories about their mental health. There are also other great online communities, such as Side by Side which is an online peer support community run by Mind.