Social wellness involves building and maintaining healthy relationships as well as creating a sense of belonging and a supportive community. Love and belonging to a group is a basic need for humans. It is vital for individuals to have a supportive network in which we are cared for and can care for others. 

Below, there is a list of a few tips to help you obtain optimal social wellness.

1. Use assertive communication with others. It is important to share with others how you feel and ask for what you need in a respectful manner. Additionally, you want to actively listen to others by utilizing empathetic understanding and emotional validation. Using assertive communication will improve verbal and emotional intimacy as well as strengthen your social connections.

2. Interact with new people to create meaningful social connections. There are a variety of ways to build social connections with others, including volunteering at a local organization, using an online social meetup app, and joining a group based on personal interests (fitness, creative arts, dancing, nature, etc.). Meeting new people enhances your social wellness by exposing you to a diverse set of individuals with different experiences, thoughts, and beliefs. Interacting with new groups may cause you to act out of your comfort zone, and this growth activity is worth it! You gain the opportunity to strengthen social skills, create new friendships, and engage in fun experiences.

3. Set healthy boundaries with others. You need to prioritize your time and health in relationships. Set healthy limits by taking care of yourself and saying “no” to social events or favors when necessary. Practicing self-care is just as important as spending quality time with others. An example of setting healthy boundaries is choosing to attend your friend’s birthday party for one hour in order for you to go home and receive quality sleep. Another example is communicating to a family member that they need to knock on your bedroom door when it is closed and wait for your response, rather than opening the door and walking in. Setting healthy boundaries may seem uncomfortable when starting. As you continue to practice, establishing appropriate boundaries will become easier.

4. Keep in touch with friends and family members. Whether your friend or family member lives in town or out of state, there are many ways to stay connected. You can schedule a monthly phone or video call with long-distance loved ones. You can also plan biweekly meetups with friends and family members in town. These meetups can be enjoying a meal, watching a movie, chatting in a coffee shop, doing something active, or trying something new. Maintaining healthy relationships with our loved ones will improve our social, mental, and emotional well-being.

1. Engage in a common goal together. Sharing values and collaborating on meaningful goals with others will strengthen the social connection that you have with one another. You can choose to collaborate on any goal that links to a significant or personal value, such as a social cause (LGBTQ+ rights), physical health (structured exercise), or travel (nationwide, internationally). Performing impactful tasks together will enhance experiential intimacy as well as enrich feelings of love and belonging.

Resources:

• National Institutes of Health. (2026). Social Wellness Toolkit. https://www.nih.gov/health-information/your-healthiest-self-wellness-toolkits/social-wellness-toolkit

• Northwestern University. (2026). Social Wellness. Wellness at Northwestern. https://www.northwestern.edu/wellness/8-dimensions/social-wellness.html

• William Glasser Institute, UK. (2026). Choice Theory: 5 Basic Human Needs. https://wgi-uk.co.uk/choice-theory-5-basic-human-needs/