Let’s All Get Connected As Part of the Human Connection Movement – Sept 20th, 21st and 22nd.

The GenWell Project is a global human connection movement whose mission is to make the world a happier and healthier place. We do this by reminding people about the importance of face-to-face social connection and inspiring them to take action. The heart of the movement is about GENerating WELLness and harnessing the power of human connection for all.  

Research has demonstrated that social connection — and the relationships created by that connection — is the single largest indicator of happiness in our lives, reduces anxiety and depression, increases empathy, compassion and fosters resilience, strengthens our immune system and self-confidence and can increase our chances of living longer by up to 50%.  

The unfortunate reality is that many of us weren’t educated on the value of building supportive communities around us, because until the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, social connection occurred naturally. We lived in a world that had shorter workdays, shorter commutes, smaller houses and bigger families, one television in the home and a knob or converter that required strategic thinking to garner your favorite show. We had shorter fences and more front porches, more places to play and less traffic on our streets. Fewer automatic garage doors and likely zero in-home movie theatres. Often, we only had one working parent and with only a telephone to connect with others, evenings and weekends were spent connecting with family, friends and neighbours.  

We now face greater pressure, pace and distraction than ever before and it is having a negative impact on our lives. The continued roll out of globalization and technology has put greater pressure on the workplace; work expectations and the increased fear of being displaced and not being able to secure another position (or one that doesn’t come with the same status or income one is accustomed to) can create anxiety. On the home front, there is less time than ever before to connect with family, friends and neighbours, as many families have two working parents in order to pay bills. On the lucky streets there are enough kids to create a spontaneous game of tag or hide and seek, but with many having scheduled activities or escaping from the day through some form of technology, it appears that being “it” is no longer a thing to avoid.  

The GenWell Project was originally inspired by a blackout that demonstrated how people truly have an innate need to connect and, when given the space, the permission and the opportunity to do so, they naturally go back to what Maslow’s Hierarchy told us was a human innate need in 1943…love and belonging or human connection. During the blackout, after checking on loved ones to ensure that everyone was okay and made it to their desired location, people connected, face-to-face. Whether in a bar at the bottom of your office tower, a patio on your way home from work or on the streets and backyards of homes, people gathered to talk, to find solutions to the current situation, and to connect with those they had long been meaning to say hello to. It was the catalyst that got people to take action.  

The GenWell Project shares information, research, tips and motivation each day on its social platforms to remind people about the importance of human connection in their lives and to assist people in starting to create their healthy ongoing connection habits today. We also activate around two GenWell Weekends a year (during the spring and fall) when we want to be the catalyst for people to take action and reach out to those they have been meaning to see, but just haven’t made the time. These catalyzing weekends are there to provide an excuse for all of us to reach out and get connected, similar to the excuse or catalyst that the original blackout was. When we all do something at the same time, it reduces one of the largest barriers to participating in any activity, the fear of doing it alone. For example, when do you see people wearing Kiss-Me-I’m-Irish buttons and green clothing head-to-toe on any other day than St. Patrick’s Day? 

These weekends have been selected strategically to have the greatest impact on people. Seasonal transitions are difficult, with spring time being the highest suicide rate time of the year and the fall being another challenging time as we transition from hot sunny days to darker days and colder nights. On the Friday of GenWell Weekends we want to be the catalyst for businesses and schools to create the conversation and take action to get their staff or students connected. During the rest of the weekend, we want those staff and students — as well as all other Canadians — to take action inside their homes, with their friends, on their streets and in their communities.  

A GenWell Project doesn’t need to be big, it could be neighbours getting together for coffee or a drink. It doesn’t have to be an all-day affair as an hour or two catching up with a neighbour or an old friend can have incredibly positive benefits to your mental and physical health. And it certainly doesn’t need to be complicated. No street permits, no venue bookings and no need to hire entertainment. Let’s just say we’re taking it old school. Just you, me, our friends, family, neighbours or colleagues. Maybe a ball game, maybe a cup of coffee, maybe a hot dog or a burger, maybe a chair or front step. 

The next GenWell Weekend is September 20, 21 and 22 and we would love it if you would make us your excuse to reach out to those you have been meaning to see. There is no cost to participate and anyone who does gets all the benefits of doing so. Our only request is that you register your intention on our website at www.GenWellProject.org and become part of the global human connection movement working to make the world a happier and healthier place one face to face conversation at a time.  

Thanks for connecting and have fun.