Actively choose to prioritize your relationships, even when busy, because letting them slide for work can have a greater cost than imagined for your well-being.
Understand and actively seek to fulfill intimate, relational, and collective connections to comprehensively address loneliness and ensure overall social health.
Recognize that friendships don’t just happen organically; they require initiative and intentionality to go out and make them, as those who see friendship as effort are less lonely years later.
Counter the ’liking gap’ bias by assuming people like you more than you think, which helps reduce anxiety and encourages engagement in social interactions.
Actively engage with people at social events rather than disengaging (covert avoidance) by introducing yourself and saying hello, as this increases the likelihood of connection.
When feeling socially anxious, avoid ‘safety behaviors’ like disengaging or playing on your phone, as these actions make rejection more likely and prevent genuine connection.
Recognize that your social world is within your control and take intentional actions, like introducing yourself, to initiate new connections and change the trajectory of your friendships.
Deepen intimate friendships by voluntarily sharing problems, admitting struggles, or asking for help, as this makes others feel special, conveys trust, and brings people closer.
Focus on making other people feel loved and valued, as this is a key trait of individuals who are good at making and keeping friends.
Actively pursue a variety of social interactions, including both shallow/fleeting and lasting/intimate ones, to maintain health and avoid loneliness.
Fight collective loneliness by signing up for classes like singing, calligraphy, or coding, as these environments provide a low-intensity way to meet people and form relationships.
Combat collective loneliness by participating in shared hobbies in real life, such as watching a game, volunteering for a cause, or attending a concert, to meet fellow fans.
Foster collective connection by organizing or joining a group that discusses a shared text, like a book series, to build a sense of congregation and mutual support.
Build collective community by inviting one or two people over to share a meal or go for a walk to discuss something you love, allowing organic growth of connections.