Your People - Pillar 5 of The New 5-a-day

Loneliness has been flagged as the latest global "pandemic" and major risk to health.  Feeling lonely is being compared to smoking and obesity as a mortality risk.  And we can all see and feel the truth behind this as we look around ourselves at this modern world.

There is no question that modern living is driving us into ever-more isolated mind-spaces: young people moving away from families for work; the physical isolation of working from home; the increased reliance on technology to create "friends."  The world is getting increasingly isolated, and it is creating more lonely people.

Similarly, we have all felt that loneliness at some time: a feeling that you are alone in the world with your problems, and no-one can help/understand/care.

There is a big difference between being lonely and being alone.  Some me-time clearly focuses on being alone, and this can be an opportunity to take a break and feel refreshed.  But this is a "choice."  You can "choose" to be alone.  But you don't "choose" to be lonely - that is a negative emotion indicating that you are missing the company of others.

But how to find that company?  How to engage with Your People?

For some, it is easy - family, work-colleagues, old friends.  But others find it more difficult to make friends, or keep in contact.  Here, in Your People, we are going to look at different ways to find, connect with, and maintain contacts with Your People, so that everyone has a chance to engage and feel connections.