The importance of socialization and how it helps me personally

The past year has pushed all of us to reconsider how we live our lives. Many have had epiphanies and have changed the way they approach life's challenges, many have made drastic changes in their careers, and others have got the wake-up call they needed. Amongst the several things I learnt, the one thing that I realized the true importance of is meeting and socializing.

Generally, I feel socializing is given a negative connotation. We consider it a tedious exchange of small talk to be relevant amongst friends and family. However, I think that it is far from the truth. For me socializing is a great mood booster, and research suggests real health benefits of being social.

Renowned psychologists have said that real-life interaction with other people triggers parts of our nervous system that in turn release a mix of neurotransmitters that regulate our response to stress and anxiety. Something as simple as a social interaction results in dopamine generation in our body, which elevates our mood and relaxes us. An exciting study by MNT found that just the touch of your partner can help relieve physical pain. Studies even suggest that people undergoing chemotherapy for cancer can cope better with strong social support and continued physical interactions with others. It amazes me how a simple conversation with someone or the touch of a hand can positively impact our mind and body.

From my personal experience, I've found that interacting with people improves my mood and refreshes my mind, and I tend to be more creative soon after. Some of my best ideas come soon after having good conversations with my team. It also helps to surround yourself with the right kind of people. Research suggests that if you're around intelligent people, it directly translates to increasing your IQ. Furthermore, I have found that with the right kind of company, you tend to learn the best things about them like inculcating healthy habits, a positive attitude, etc.

Humans are social beings. It is in our nature to be around other people. With research backing the claims of the importance of socialization we all need to get back to mingling with our friends and family. In the post COVID world, indeed, this has its challenges, but being around people, is the essence of our being, and I, for one, am thrilled that I get to do that again.