I really resonated with the message of the book Together by Dr. Vivek Murthy, and his message that by building more connection in our lives, we can build a healthier, more connected world.”
“”
“A few points that lingered with me:”
“– There are three kinds of connection: intimate or emotional connection with a trusted confidante or partner, relational or social connection with quality friends for companionship and support, and community or collective connection with people who share your purpose or interests. Like a well-balanced diet, we need each of these in our lives to feel fully connected.”
“”
“– When we don’t have that well-balanced diet of connection, we experience loneliness, and “our bodies read isolation, and often even the threat of isolation, as an emergency.” Murthy theorizes that this goes back to our days on the savannah, when a lone human had to be hypervigilant to survive without the security of the tribe. “Such hypervigilance could be lifesaving in moments of acute danger, but it placed a lot of stress on the body. Nor was it sustainable for long periods.” Yet many people now stay in that hypervigilant state for years, hence the connection to the medical issues that Murthy observed as Surgeon General of the United States.”
“”
“– Changing that state requires love and kindness and generosity, connecting with other human beings by finding points of shared value and concern. When we can connect with others in that way, we create stronger relationships and greater community, which makes us feel more connected, which improves our health and well-being, which allows us to invest more into our relationships and community. It’s a wonderful, positive feedback loop, and he challenges us to consciously decide to live our lives each day to create that more connected world.”
“”
“What can you do today to connect with another human being? It could be as little as smiling or making eye contact with a stranger in the street. Or reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while. I did that a couple weeks ago and was surprised how good it felt!”
“”
“#community #loneliness #connection #together