What is connection?
Connections are the way we relate to other people or things . We all have lots of different connections:
- with ourselves - Each of us has a relationship with ourself. It's really important to look after this relationship and think about how we treat ourselves. This means looking after our emotional and physical wellbeing.
- with other people - We're always connecting with the people in our lives: friends, family, teachers, and so many others. We can grow our connections and friendships by paying attention and listening to each other.
- with nature - We have a connection with the world around us, like plants and animals. For example, forests give us oxygen and are good for our health and wellbeing. It's important we look after them.
Why is connection important for wellbeing?
When we feel connected to ourselves and the people and world around us, it can make us feel at ease and happier.
Video – Advice on connecting with ourselves and others
Wellbeing professional, Lorna Walker, talks about how we can connect with others and our feelings by listening and sharing.
There are all different kinds of connections. The connection we have to ourselves, to the people around us and even to nature. One thing that's really helpful to remember as we can grow our connections and friendships with each other by listening.
It's so easy to be distracted that often we might miss when someone is telling us something about how they feel or what's going on in their lives.
Listening isn't just something we can do for others. It's also something that we can do for ourselves.
If someone asks you, "How are you right now?"
Instead of just saying "I'm fine", maybe stop and think.
"How am I feeling?"
It might not be easy to immediately answer. And you might not want to share your answer with anyone else straight away.
You can express your feelings in many ways. Maybe you can write it down in a story or a poem, draw a picture, choreograph a dance, sing your heart out to a song.
Something that you could share with others when you're ready.
You can also practise listening more deeply to others, too. When you ask someone, "How are you?"
You can take the time to really hear what they say, to smile, to let them know you care enough to listen. We're all different and some people might connect through talking and sharing and others might connect through doing something together.
The important thing to remember is that where we can be there for ourselves, no matter how we feel. We can also be there for others too.
Activities – Learning to connect more deeply
Try Lorna's practical wellbeing tips to help you connect more deeply with yourself and the people around you.
Activity 1 – Listening to yourself
This wellbeing activity is about checking in with yourself and thinking about how you feel.
Step one
- Ask yourself: "How am I feeling right now?"
- Stop and think about what you are feeling.
- Are you happy? Sad? Angry? Excited?
Step two
Think how you might you express this feeling and share it with others.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- talk to someone you trust
- write it down in a story or a poem
- draw a picture
- choreograph a dance
- sing your heart out to a song
Don't worry if you're not ready to share your feelings with anyone else.
It is important to check in with yourself first and you can share your feelings with others when you're ready to.
Activity 2 – Listening to others
This second wellbeing activity is about checking in with others and listening to them.
The ability to understand and share the feelings of other people is called empathy.
Step one
When you ask someone: "How are you?"
- Take the time to really hear what they say.
- It's important when someone is telling us how they feel that we focus and don't talk over them.
- If it's appropriate, you might want to smile or nod to let them know you care enough to listen.
- Maybe when they've finished speaking, you can let them know that you're there for them.
Step two
We're all different and some people connect through talking and sharing and others might connect through doing something together.
Stop and think: what makes you feel connected to the people you care about?
More to learn – Different types of connection
If you're interested in learning more about connection with ourselves, others and nature, here are some resources to explore:
3 simple ways to increase empathy
Why empathy is important and how you can hone it as a skill.
The Brain Lab: Connect with others. video
Dr Hazel Harrison and a young magician called Dan find out why it’s important to connect with other people.
Connecting to nature: Forests. revision-guide
Learn about our connection to nature with Isla and Connor as they explore forests.
More on Mental and emotional wellbeing
Find out more by working through a topic
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