Worth Living Ambassador Renee Raymond
Hello, my name is Renee. I am a cognitive behavioural therapist and Registered Kinesiologist. I am a mental health advocate, with a particular interest in youth and workplace mental health. I am currently collecting youth mental health stories to help advocate for better support for students across the country. I believe that it’s vital to allow those who are struggling to feel supported enough to seek help, and work with them as an ally through their recovery journey. You can visit my website www.mindfullyyouwellness.com
Growing Up and Social Networks
A part of growing up means being “responsible”. Many 20 somethings feel the impact of adulthood on our social lives during the transition to post-secondary. The focus of our lives shift to balancing our school lives, work, building a career, and of course paying bills. Friends change, older ones move away or grow apart. With all of the changes happening in our personal lives, we sometimes struggle to make new connections to maintain our social network of friends.
A huge part of being human is being around and with other people! Some of the most enriching memories in life come from being with and around others. It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of what we need to do on a daily basis, and it can be easier to get absorbed an all of our activities rather than building and maintaining new relationships. It’s vital to our well-being to spend some of our time connecting with others in a setting that is off-line.
Being around people who you can share your interests with or share a joke with is actually good for our health. Having healthy, supportive relationships in our lives help us to feel more fulfilled and happy. Having healthy relationships is also important for when things aren’t so great in life. Having people you can turn to in times of crisis, or someone who cares about your well-being helps us to make it through difficult times. These reasons and many more can’t be taken for granted, and shouldn’t be over looked because of other commitments we have in our lives.
Try joining an exercise class, attending a local event, and reaching out to old friends this weekend. If you’re too busy with family, take a look at the week ahead and see how you can spend a few hours socializing.
While it can be weird stepping outside of your comfort zone to hang out with new (or familiar) faces, these social experiences have the ability to make your week just a little bit brighter.