Better Together - How Connecting With Others Boosts Health, Happiness, And Harmony Across Generations

Home
Blog
Community
Better Together - How Connecting With Others Boosts Health, Happiness, And Harmony Across Generations

Community

Better Together - How Connecting With Others Boosts Health, Happiness, And Harmony Across Generations

12 min read APR 25, 2025

Want to improve your brain health, boosting memory and processing speed? Meet a friend for coffee.

Want to strengthen your immune system? Gather with neighbors to volunteer within your community.

Want to decrease stress and improve your mood? Make it a regular habit to chat with your elderly neighbors.

Want to live a longer, happier, and healthier life? Foster strong relationships with those around you!

We typically don’t think about how connecting with others can impact our health and wellness, but science…and life itself…has proven time and time again that relationships and social interaction/connection is a vital part of a healthy life.

We even have days set aside to honor such interactions, inspiring folks to come together, find common ground, and connect!

Join Hands Day is one such time, celebrated the first Saturday in May, when people are encouraged to cross cultural, generational, and societal lines, coming together to volunteer, support, care, and connect for the benefit of…everyone.

That’s right, we all benefit when we come together. We all benefit when we connect with others.

So, in honor of Join Hands Day, let’s take some time to explore the benefits of connection and the boosts these types of relationships can bring to each of us, including some simple ways we can foster meaningful connection with friends, neighbors, colleagues, community members, and more!

Better Together

Relationships, support, closeness, belonging - these terms are commonly used to describe the experience of human connection.

But, to break that down a little further, connection truly occurs when two or more people engage in interactions that make each party feel seen, heard, and valued.

That sounds easy enough, right?

Unfortunately, in today’s day and time, it seems that face to face human connection is decreasing.

In fact, some studies have shown in the last 20 years or so that adults socialize nearly 35% less than in years prior. And for teens, that number has exceeded 45%.
So, we’re a little more solitary in 2025, that doesn’t actually affect us all that much, does it?

In short…yes!

A lack of connection can have serious effects on your health.

Take loneliness for example - researchers have found that loneliness “poses health risks as deadly as smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily.”

But, when you flip that coin over, human connection can seriously improve your health!

It seems with the increasing popularity of social media (amongst other hindrances to real, face-to-face connection), we have found ourselves falsely connecting.

We chat with strangers or acquaintances online, and we share and interact with friends or colleagues on some level, but at the end of the day, what we’re all finding is there’s no substitution for joining hands, looking someone in the eye, talking face to face, laughing out loud, or even accomplishing a task together.

Yes, as the above subheading declares, we truly are better together!

But, how much better, and in what ways?

Let’s take a look…

1- Reduces Stress

When we feel connected to others our sense of belonging increases and we feel loved and valued, each of which serves to reduce anxiety, depression, and helps our bodies to better handle stress.

Basically, connecting with others helps to increase trust and it enhances feelings of safety.

And, when we feel safe, loved, valued, and capable of trust, our stress hormones decrease, specifically cortisol, leading us to experience greater feelings of calmness, thereby reducing stress.

2- Lifts Mood

A large study conducted in 2008 found that social isolation and a lack of connection led to depression, cognitive decline, and insomnia.

Connecting with others, however, has been shown to do the reverse, improving symptoms of depression, allowing for better sleep and improved brain function.

In the same way that social connection reduces anxiety, stress, and depression, this type of interaction also serves to increase happiness and improve your overall mood.

Even better, connecting with others actually helps your body to better regulate all emotions!

3- Improves Self-Esteem

When we connect with others, this communicates acceptance.

When we connect with others, this increases feelings of belonging.

And, when we connect with others, this provides opportunities for us to hear positive feedback.

Each of these things then help to improve confidence, reduce anxiety, and ultimately boost your self-esteem.

4- Increases Lifespan

Want to live a long and happy life? Connect with others!
For years we’ve been learning more and more about folks who live in blue zones.

Blue zones are areas of the world where people tend to live longer, oftentimes more than 100 years.

Blue zone residents are also typically healthier than people living in other parts of the world.

And, the more this phenomenon has been realized, the more scientists have begun to study these populations, seeking answers for what could be at the root of these outcomes of health, happiness, and longevity.

Here’s what they found - aside from an active lifestyle and healthy diet, individuals living within these areas had a great sense of purpose and were commonly characterized by the deep social connections they shared with one another.

In fact, social connection and meaningful relationships were the overwhelming thread routinely running throughout these communities.

Of course, blue zone residents aren’t the only people benefiting from such connections.

Studies have shown that individuals with strong social and community ties are 2-3 times less likely to die prematurely.

Then, building upon this, as one means of social connection involves volunteering, those folks who participated within their communities in such a way were also found to live longer lives.

5- Strengthens Immune System

When you connect with others, you’re also giving your immune system a healthy boost.
Loneliness can depress your immune system, essentially creating strain as your body views this as stress.

But, social interaction and meaningful connection aids your body by reducing inflammation and strengthening immune responses, because when you feel connected to others, your body releases hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, each of which boost immune function.

6- Reduces Risk Of Disease

When inflammation decreases, your risk of disease decreases, plain and simple.

And, as we’ve seen above, social connection serves to decrease stress and inflammation, both of which reduce your risk of disease.

To add, your immune system isn’t just for fighting colds and flus, it’s also a line of defense against disease.

In fact, when your immune system is compromised, you are at a greater risk for heart disease, cancer, and more. Thankfully, the boosts given here from social connection serve to reduce that risk.

7- Improves Brain Health

When you interact socially, connecting with others, this type of activity serves to stimulate your mind.

In fact, socializing is kind of like exercising for your brain.

And, when your brain engages in this way, it strengthens neural pathways which reduces cognitive decline.

In elderly individuals in particular, studies have shown that those who socialize regularly “have a better working memory, processing speed, and verbal fluency.”

8- It’s FUN!

I suppose you could say this point is a thread running through all of the things we’ve already covered, but to put it more plainly…connecting with others is fun!

Most of the benefits we’ve discussed stem from a reduction in stress, from fewer feelings of loneliness, and from the boosts we receive regarding mood, immune function, and more.

The thing is, many of these rewards are simply realized through enjoyment!
Social connection provides us with the opportunity to enjoy the company of others, to enjoy activities, to enjoy life in general, and more times than not, this simply involves having fun!

We can all be guilty of taking life too seriously at times, and social connections can remind us to simply let loose and have fun once in a while.

Have you ever been in a bad mood after having fun with friends or coworkers? Chances are the answer is ‘no,’ and the same is true when we are open to the possibility of connection with others in our communities and neighborhoods.

So, get out there and connect - you know, love a little more, laugh a little louder, and enjoy one another’s company.

In other words…have fun!

The Simple Art Of Connection

With such profound benefits to your overall health and wellness, you would think connecting with others would be costly or even incredibly difficult.

However, when it comes to connection, reaping these rewards is far more simple than you might think!

Too often we overlook opportunities to connect with others due to demographics…

- my neighbor is much younger than me
- my colleagues are all older than I am
- the other moms near me aren’t into the same hobbies as I am
- older generations don’t understand me
- younger generations don’t understand me
- we come from very different backgrounds
- we come from very different cultures

…each of these excuses (and more) do nothing more than create roadblocks or barriers to meaningful connection.

When we place ourselves and others in such boxes, what we’re really doing is depriving one another of opportunities to love, grow, learn, and ultimately connect.

What I’m finding, the older I get, is that we all have far more in common than we realize, and connections are far too valuable to miss out on simply because we ‘think’ we’re more comfortable on our own.

We’ve already seen just how detrimental loneliness can be, and likewise, we’ve also seen how beneficial it is to connect with others, so let’s close out our time today looking at some simple ways you can join hands (literally and figuratively) with those around you and connect!

1- Volunteer

Whether it’s something you’re passionate about or not, simply getting involved within your community through volunteering can greatly provide opportunities for connection.

And when you do this regularly, you’ll have the opportunity to meet new people, some faces will become more familiar, and no matter what, you’ll be able to come together with folks in your community.

When you sign up to volunteer, you’re also opening the door for social interaction, connection, and new relationships/friendships, each of which can be powerful remedies for loneliness, stress, anxiety, and more.

2- Activities, Classes, And Hobbies

Enjoy bike riding? Look for community bike riding events.

Are you a runner? Instead of going it alone, join a local run club where you can meet other runners, accomplish goals together, then enjoy one another’s company for a meal or brew after your run.

Enjoy baking sourdough bread? Find other bakers in your neighborhood and plan a time when you can get together, swap techniques, and get to know one another around this shared interest.

Can’t dance, but looking for some connection and physical activity? Join a line dancing class where you’ll meet others, share some laughs, and have fun in the process.

If you’re a parent of small children, plan a playdate where you can connect with other parents while also allowing your children to benefit from social interaction.

If you’re a parent of teens, plan a support group where you can get together with other teen parents or near empty nesters. (Okay…I’m only kidding on that terminology - “support group” - or am I?)

When it comes to activities, hobbies, and commonalities, just know that we’ve all got far more in common than we like to think, and when it comes to social connection, these avenues provide countless opportunities to bridge gaps, get to know folks, and truly join hands!

3- Support A Common Cause

This is closely linked to volunteering, but when it comes to supporting specific causes, this affords us with the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.

When we feel passionately about a certain cause, then come together with others of similar passions, this can create deep meaningful connections as you share common beliefs and understanding surrounding a particular foundation, goal, or conviction.

4- Coffee, Connection, And More

When you’re in school, hanging out with friends seems effortless.

You meet up for coffee, you drive around on a Friday night just spending time with one another, you go to the movies, you go to ball games, you play sports together, etc.

But, as we get older, maintaining friendships can be more difficult.

In adulthood, work schedules get crazy, kid schedules are crazy, then you need time with your spouse, time to keep up with housework, time for being active, time for self-care, time for sleep, and on and on.

Unfortunately, with these added duties and constraints, it seems like making time for face to face interaction with friends and neighbors often gets placed on the back burner, and before you know it, you’re stressed, feeling alone/lonely, anxious, and lacking connection.

So, if you have to, plan for it, but make connecting with friends a priority.

Of course, our favorite way to do this involves coffee. And, while we may be biased, we’re not alone either, as meeting for coffee seems to be the universal occasion for ‘getting together.’

Typically, we meet for dinner or coffee to catch up, but let’s take this a step further and implement this concept on a regular basis.

And, feel free to get creative!

If a coffee house chat seems too ordinary, feel free to bring some coffee to share, then plan to hit the gym with your new neighbor, grab a coffee to-go and spend some time shopping with your bestie, invite new friends over for an afternoon of sharing your favorite recipes, hobbies, and more.

Truly don’t have time for coffee?

Keep connections alive through regular (even quick) phone calls, texts, messages, and handwritten cards or notes.

5- Be Yourself

Aside from the means of connection we’ve detailed thus far, there’s also a few things to be aware of when interacting with others, things that can promote, as opposed to impeding, connection.

For instance, when you’re with others, be sure to make eye contact.

Also, seek to be a good listener when others are sharing, whether in a group setting or one on one encounters.

And, be yourself!

Especially when meeting new people, we can have such a desire to fit in that we sometimes forget authenticity, but true connections arise from simply being yourself.

6- Join Hands

The core purpose behind Join Hands Day involves a desire to see generational connection, for younger generations and older generations to literally and figuratively join hands, coming together to connect through volunteering.

But, what if we lived each day with this in mind?

I commonly hear my teenage daughter, who is working part time while working towards her degree, talk about such stark differences in understanding between generations, particularly through her experiences working with the public.

Now granted, her interactions likely won’t provide ample opportunities for true connection, but it does point to a great need in our society - one specifically highlighted in Join Hands Day.

I was blessed to grow up living right next door to my grandparents, and spending so much time with them provided me with a deeper understanding of those outside of my particular generation.

And, may I submit to you, that seeking to cross such generational lines can afford each and every one of us with a similar understanding and therefore similar connections.

In other words, never underestimate connection and the deep value in it.

Whether it’s in your neighborhood, place of worship, workplace, gym, etc. don’t count out any possibility for connection, even considering what such an interaction or relationship may mean for the other person as well.