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Community and social relationships can enrich your life by bringing you joy and support. Do you have people close to you whom you can talk to and spend time with?
Spending time with others, either face-to-face or online, can support your overall wellbeing by increasing happiness and satisfaction, as shared moments create memories and increase the joy of life. Time spent with loved ones strengthens the sense of belonging and reduces loneliness. Remember that it is also normal to want to be alone!
A sense of community means people feeling like they belong to a group or community. It may occur in a neighbourhood, at a workplace or in activity groups, for example. Community creates a sense of belonging. It can improve your wellbeing and quality of life.
Social relationships mean relationships and interactions between people. These relationships can be between family members, friends, or coworkers, for example. Good social relationships are important for your wellbeing, as they provide support, joy and meaningfulness to life. Ways to strengthen your social relationships:
Loneliness is a feeling of isolation and exclusion, which may have a negative impact on both your mental and physical wellbeing. Loneliness can affect people of all ages. It can be caused by many reasons, such as changes in life or a lack of social networks. Various community events and peer support groups can offer help and alleviate feelings of loneliness.
Don’t be alone – support is available. You can check out the following services and websites for help and information to alleviate loneliness.
Volunteering offers you the opportunity to help others, get to know new people and feel connected. You can participate in a way that suits you, just once or on a regular basis. Everyone has their own way of helping, according to their own resources and interests.
Retirement is a major change in life and a new life stage, during which the way you spend your time and your communities can change a lot. Explore the Voi hyvin eläkkeellä (‘Feel well during retirement’) page, which provides extensive information and ideas for supporting the wellbeing of pensioners. On the page, you can find tips on how to strengthen your sense of community, participate in meaningful activities and enjoy an active everyday life.