Did you know that feelings of loneliness and social isolation are as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes daily? In fact, those who are lonely more often have higher risks of heart disease, Alzheimer's, blood pressure, and even weakened immune systems. That is why the value in the community is vitally important for our mental and physical health. However, connecting with others is a challenge, especially in rural areas. Here are some tips and tricks for reaching out to your community.
Social Media
Social media is one of the best ways to connect with others in your community. It can be challenging if you have recently moved to a rural area, but it's not impossible to adjust to rural life. That is why social media is a fantastic tool you can use to meet other people in your area. Start with finding your town's local Facebook page or website, as there will likely be a lot of community involvement information on there.
Community Events
Nearly every community, no matter where you live, will have a center or committee that plans events for various reasons. Often in rural areas, a good amount of connection opportunities occur through word of mouth or showing up to multiple events. As such, you may need to put yourself out there for you to connect with your rural community.
It is also quite simple; you might meet people at a garage sale, bake sale, fundraiser, or any similar event. You might even consider hosting a garage sale yourself to meet more people and get rid of old junk.
Volunteer
There are likely countless volunteering opportunities within your community that you currently don't know about, which is a great thing as it means there are many ways to connect. Moreover, if you have a skill, you might consider offering that for your volunteer services; for example, you might have carpentry, music, coaching, and tutoring skills. The more you put yourself out there, the more others in the area familiarize themselves with you. Not before long, you'll feel like a local member of the community.
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