November 2016: Social Wellbeing

Get Involved!

Welcome to the November issue of TotalWellbeing! If you have been following TotalWellbeing you know that every month we focus on one of the 8 Dimensions of Wellbeing. This month we turn the magnifying glass to Social Wellbeing to discuss the influence social connections have on one another. Being aware of this influence is very important as the more we understand just how much our family, friends, co-workers, and other people in our lives actually impact our behavior, the better we can pick and choose good habits to emulate from others, and which behaviors to avoid. Likewise, no one wants to be a bad influence, so be aware of your impact on others and avoid conducting yourself in ways that may leave a negative impression on them. This is especially true with children, as their young minds are much more malleable than an adult’s and you never know where they might pick up behaviors from. For a closer look at this month’s topic and helpful resources please check out The Path and The Connection below.

Last month we saw MINESblog cover Breast Cancer Awareness month with a post that looked at awareness, resilience, and resources for anyone whose life has been impacted in some way or another by cancer. Not our favorite topic to cover but one that can critically impact many dimensions of our wellbeing.

As always, for more information please check out the links to the left or hit the share button to send us a message, and to be notified when we post more resources and articles make sure to subscribe to MINESblog. See you next month!

To your total wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The Path: Social Wellbeing and Influence

One of the most important aspects of social wellbeing is the influence that others have on us, and conversely, the influence we have over others. As with most things this influence can be overt or subtle, good or bad, and purposeful or accidental. The key is being aware of this influence and making the most of it. This awareness brings with a degree of control over the external influences you let affect you as well as the influence you present to others. It is up to you to use this social influence to better yourself and others. The concept of a role model is the ideal example of this. We look up to role models and let their influence shape certain aspects of ourselves while in turn we are role models ourselves for those that look up to us.

Maintaining healthy social connections can benefit your wellbeing in many ways. Take a look at an article over at Psychology Today that looks at the various impacts your social connections may have and examines 3 categories of social connectedness around life’s various relationships.

Check Out the Article Here!

The Connection: Get Involved

Wellbeing does not simply start and stop at the individual. Our community is connected to each of our own individual wellbeing in a huge way. When we are well we can better function within our community.  We can help our fellow humans thrive, and in turn, when our community is prospering, it helps each of us reach our goals as individuals. So why not help our community so we can all thrive together? Each month we will strive to bring you resources that can help you enhance the wellbeing of those around you or get involved with important causes.

Social influence often has the strongest hold over us when we are young and beginning to learn how the world works. This is the reason it is so critical to present a good example for young children. One way that we can help influence these impressionable young minds for the better is with community driven programs designed to help children strive and learn what they need to get ready for success in school and social activities. One such group that is making an impact is Early Milestones Colorado. Head over to their site to learn more about what they do and how you can get involved with the cause.

Check it out here!

Don’t forget that PersonalAdvantage, your online benefit through MINES, has tons of great resources for all the dimensions of wellbeing that we discuss here. If you haven’t checked it out yet, or want to see what resources they have for this month’s topic check out the link below. You’ll need your company login, so make sure to get that from your employer.

Check Out PersonalAdvantage Here!