With COVID-19 continuing to top the headlines every day seems fitting that we highlight that July is #SocialWellnessAwareness month.

What is Social Wellness, anyway? Social Wellness is defined as the "ability to form and maintain relationships with others and to interact and communicate well within those relationships." Not an intuitively easy thing to do when we're limited by social distancing guidelines everywhere we turn.

These safety measures, along with regional restrictions on where/when/why you can leave your home, can have the adverse effect of causing feelings of stress and isolation from being apart from your usual network of people in your daily life. So... how does one social distance while cultivating their social wellness? 

Physicians First Messages has a few helpful tips for you:

1. Nurture your network. Nurture relationships with families and friends. Call family members regularly. Catch up with old friends in video chats. Strengthen those supportive connections who all mutually respect, love, and accept each other as you all are.

2. Sustain your self care. Even basic daily needs like eating right, getting enough sleep, exercise, & yes, beauty routines, boost your emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being by continuing those calming daily rituals. This includes enjoying those hobbies and activities that give you a boost - everything from cooking to reading to gardening to daily walks and more!

3. Focus on positives. With so much uncertainty out there these days, it can be hard to maintain a positive outlook. One way to do this is by being mindful of something many of us take for granted: watching your intake and consumption of negativity. Simply limiting the amount of news you watch and time spent on social media are shown to greatly reduce feeling of depression, isolation, and hopelessness. Yes: It's important to be informed, but we all know the adage about the dangers of having too much of a good thing, and technology is no different. 

These three simple steps will help keep you on the path to keeping your Social Wellness first and foremost not just this month, but more importantly, beyond this pandemic and throughout your life. So breathe, smile, and get out there and smell the roses! 

🎆 Happy birthday, America! 🎇 PFMI Wishes all of you a happy & safe #IndependenceDay! 🎉 #4thofJuly
How are you celebrating today?