The power of human connection is vast and varied. There are many human needs, some of them being certainty, happiness, and human connection. The truth, whether you accept it or not, is that you need to have these needs fulfilled to become complete on the inside. If any of these needs are not fulfilled, you will start to feel unfulfilled or incomplete on the inside.

Why is human connection important?

Social connection can bring people together, enable better emotional support, and foster a sense of belonging, in addition to improving physical and mental health. Here are the things you need to know about human connection as a fundamental human need:

1. It ensures survival.

If you are not with your tribe, you become susceptible to the dangers of the outside. You need certain connections to feel safe. It’s like high school: If you walk the halls without a friend, you’re an easy target for bullies or predators. But if you are with friends or have made connections with the right people, you can easily survive and thrive in any environment. 

2. Human connection keeps you sane.

Making connections also means having people to turn to when you need help. Life itself can be very demanding, so when you have the right human connections, you’ll have people to go to. 

3. Feel heard, valued, seen, and acknowledged.

This is self-explanatory in that when you make connections with people, they feel valued. The same thing happens when people make connections with you. 

How can you create and strengthen your social connection?

1. Meet people 

The first way is to go and meet people. Just go out one day to a cafe to make connections with people. Smile at them and strike up conversations with them—genuine conversations. 

2. Be present 

Another thing you can do is make time for people to see you, like your friends. When that happens, be present with them. Keep your phone away (not down). 

3. Compliment others 

Look for chances to compliment people and make them smile to forge value connections. Offer genuine compliments because fake compliments have the opposite effect. So if you cannot find anything genuine to say, don’t say anything. Practice kindness and compassion in all your interactions.

How to create social connections if you are an introvert?

Introverts might find the prospect of creating human connection dreadful, especially because reaching out to people and having conversations doesn’t come naturally to them. However, if you are an introvert, you can use these other methods to create and foster human connection:

1. Use people’s names as often as you can to ease tension. 
2. Practice what it is you want to say.
3. Use your job to meet people who share your interests so you can talk about them.
4. Research the kind of space you’ll be entering and prepare yourself ahead of time so that it won’t feel too strange or new. 

Takeaways: The power of human connection

The ability to connect with others is a fundamental human need, and it’s something that can bring us immense joy and fulfillment. When you identify your human need, you can explain your way of reacting or how you respond to things. 

Remember that:

• Conversations help people move forward in their lives.
• There are different types of human connections, like:
  • Friendship
  • Sibling-relationship
  • Family relationships
  • Parent-child relationships
  • Romantic relationships
  • People in your social circle (the concentric rings)—your inner circle, outer circle, community, and the rest of the world.
• Connect with yourself first before connecting with others.
• Practice mirror work to get in touch with your authentic self. Recognize that you are gifted and one-of-a-kind.