Why Relationships Still Matter in Work and Wellness
In 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy launched a campaign to address a health epidemic that had been quietly building for years. It wasn't a contagious illness or a life-threatening disease — it was loneliness. And its long-term impact on the health outcomes of Americans has been staggering. Murthy shared that 1 in 2 adults experience loneliness, and without ongoing, real-life connection, both youth and elders suffer in ways past generations could hardly imagine.
This national focus on loneliness revealed something deeper: how normalized, and even complacent our society has become with individualism, often at the expense of cultivating real relationships in real time. Being without relationships — family, friends, colleagues carries a high cost to our personal wellness, creating a burden that stresses our bodies and our systems. Relationships sustain us, fuel us, and advance us, both individually and collectively. Their absence is an obstacle to experiencing the fullness of what life can offer. With so many competing messages about self-sufficiency and being "self-made," it's easy to lose sight of how necessary community truly is.
I was reminded of this recently. A little over a month ago, a woman reached out about an opportunity to support women in public service who are in leadership and looking to cultivate wellness and community. We had connected almost eight years earlier, when she interviewed me for a job I ultimately didn't get. We stayed in touch loosely over the years, and unbeknownst to me, she'd been following my work here on LinkedIn and my focus on women, burnout, and leadership. When she reached out, I was delighted to reconnect, and even more delighted to host an event for her community. That single connection, formed under entirely different circumstances, grew into something that poured into both of us — and strengthened the bonds among the women in her leadership community. Watch the recap video here.
This experience and so many others like it reminded me why community is good for our wellness. When we're supported, when we connect over shared interests, when we receive collective wisdom from one another, it truly is good for our souls.
If this resonated with you, I'd love for you to continue the conversation with me on TikTok, where I recently shared more thoughts on relationships and why they matter to our wellness. Watch here
And if you're thinking about how to bring this same sense of connection, restoration, and community to the women in your organization, I'd love to talk. Whether it's a retreat, a wellness experience, or a facilitated space for your team or cohort, reach out and let's create something meaningful together.
