THE HEALING POWER OF CONNECTION

4 September 2025

The quality of our social connections is a strong predictor of health and happiness. Feeling a sense of similarity with others, even strangers, can boost our wellbeing and inspire kindness.

I was reminded of this recently when my husband and I lined up at the start of a fun run along Brighton Beach. The girls were with their grandparents, so this was our version of “quality time” - apparently, at our age, that means running with 2,000 other people!

As we queued at the start line, I noticed little moments of connection happening all around me. My husband was chatting with a pacer who helps runners keep a steady pace, the best kind of running buddy! Behind me, two young women were laughing as they tried to get the perfect photo of their matching, highlighter-yellow shoes. (Very cute as I do believe the smallest things can bring us joy and I too am obsessed with colours when it comes to my shoes.) To my right, a woman wore the exact same coral running top as me, only in a beautiful rose shade. She caught my eye, pointed to our tops, and I waved back in approval of our unplanned coordination.

Everyone at the point was a bit anxious and restless.  That energy then shifted quickly to ’10 KM WHAT WAS I THINKING”  to “ALMOST THERE” to ‘YES WE DID IT”. High on optimism from having accomplished a personal best we were walking back to our car medals in hand and there was the same yellow highlighter shoes and smile which matched. No words, just an unspoken recognition of that shared race-day momentum. Such a small gesture, yet so powerful.

Moments like this remind me: we are interdependent. The briefest connection — a smile, a glance, a kind word — can shift our energy. Life becomes more exciting when we notice the ways we are linked, however fleeting.

And back at work, I see this truth again and again. Social connectedness doesn’t just make life richer — it shapes how we heal. I love hearing the stories that make you uniquely you, because those stories are often the key to your wellbeing.

So, let’s walk that healing journey together.