Sometimes in the winter it can feel like the days are too short to even bother going out in the evenings. And getting up early to do something fun in frigid temperatures? Forget it! When summer finally reaches its warm fingers over and peeks into your hibernation cave, it can be hard to reconnect with your friends, make new ones, and interact with your community. Let’s take a look at some ways you can reach out and return to a full and satisfying social life.
- Volunteer your Time: According to the NJ sports medicine specialists at AOSMI, the best way to stay active is to be active. If you love golf, you can meet like-minded folks and keep fit by regularly volunteering at local golf benefit tournaments. Prefer animals? Volunteer at a local shelter. There are many opportunities for every interest through sites such as VolunteerMatch.org, and if you don’t see something that appeals to you, you can start one yourself.
- Don’t Overlook Nearby Opportunities: Depending on your living situation, you may either know every single neighbor’s entire life history or know no one at all locally. Introducing yourself to new neighbors is a terrific way to reach out and be of service. Look at the community bulletin boards at your town library or grocery store and you will certainly see any number of events, meetings, and groups. Even just walking around a town yard sale can yield great results.
- Be Active Online: It sounds counter-intuitive. Spend more time online to connect more with your community. However, most towns now have active internet discussion and bulletin boards alerting citizens of upcoming events and other relevant local developments. Especially in oppressively hot weather, online connections can help you stay involved.
- Join a Community-Supported Agriculture Group: CSA’s share the labor and the produce of a farm or garden. The groceries you get will be far outweighed by the relationships you develop with the other members, and they will likely be able to direct you to other like-minded people you may enjoy spending time with.
Humans are inherently social animals, so it’s not surprising that we need to constantly seek out new ways to meet, enjoy and connect with each other. Don’t be discouraged if the first thing you try doesn’t fulfill your every need; no one group or person can do that. Instead, try and create a quilt of people in your life, each fulfilling a unique role, and to whom you can also be valued. If pain or an injury is preventing you from leading a full social life, request an appointment with the orthopedic specialists at AOSMI today.
