The lockdown and social isolation measures taken in response to COVID-19 have caused untold damage to people worldwide.  Some effects are visible – the aching tragedy of not being able to visit loved ones dying in nursing homes or hospitals or to have loved ones gather for comfort and support after a death.  And some are invisible –  the loneliness of people who have small – or solitary – bubbles.  Among many other things, this has meant for the past nearly ten months, people have been giving and receiving fewer if any, hugs, and hugs are deceptively important.  This article says,

…through the act of hugging, our brains can produce soothing chemicals that help us feel more safe and less threatened throughout the day.

“Safe and less threatened?!”  We can all use a few more hugs right about now, can’t we?  And that’s not the only painful effect of social isolation.  A November 23, 2020 article published results from a study from MIT.

Neuroscientists have found that the longings for social interaction felt during isolation are neurologically very similar to the food cravings people experience when hungry.

As I publish this article, we have been experiencing some degree of social isolation for 293 days.

Since November, I’ve been speaking, via Zoom, to Rotary clubs across Canada and often during the Q&A, I hear this question;

We can’t get together in person – it’s strange – what can we do?

My answer:  When times are tough, we need to be tougher.  We do not succumb to despair; we fight that despair.

We add a component of Community building to our meetings to seek deeper, more authentic connections with one another.  We don’t just hope Community will happen, we deliberately and consciously evolve ourselves into Community.

We need Community.  I no longer need to convince anybody of this.  So I have a challenge for you.  I challenge you to gather some people and facilitate a Community building experience with them.  How?

1. Download Sounding the Drum
2. Read it (it’s a 2-3 hour read)
3. Invite people to join you in a Community building experience

Let’s end this trying year on a note of hope.  Let’s be proactive and determined.  Let’s all build Communities now!

How are you doing?  How are you mitigating the effects of social isolation on your life?  Are you okay?

Photo by Elena Mozhvilo on Unsplash