Prioritize Human Connection in the New Year 

Prioritize Human Connection in the New Year 
Human connection is what happens when two or more people choose to engage in vulnerable interactions where each person is heard, seen, known, and valued. Fei Meng
John Delony
Updated:
We live in a crazy world where we get into heated debates with strangers on the internet and show we like stuff by pressing tiny digital hearts. Who came up with this weirdness? And as we have more and more digital interactions, the data shows we’re losing actual human connection. A report by Harvard suggests that about 36 percent of Americans (including 51 percent of mothers with small children and 61 percent of young adults) experience “serious loneliness.”
And even though we tend to see independence as a strength, the stress of disconnection contributes to a ton of issues, including substance abuse, anxiety, depression and heart disease. Those are some pretty high stakes—which is why we need to do what we can to change those statistics. Here’s what we all need to know about human connection and how to achieve it.

What Is Human Connection?

Human connection is what happens when two or more people choose to engage in vulnerable interactions where each person is heard, seen, known, and valued. You’re connecting with others if you feel better about yourself, or the world, after you’ve been with them. At the same time, connection is a risk because people may accept you, challenge you, love you, or call you out.
John Delony
John Delony
Author
Dr. John Delony is a mental health expert with Ph.Ds. in counselor education and supervision and higher education administration from Texas Tech University. John worked as a senior leader, professor, and researcher at multiple universities. He also spent time in victim’s services and crisis response, walking with people through severe trauma.
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