the day had sonny moments within the heavy grey cloud. That elevated mood for a short bit.
I chatted with a colleague for a bit and then worked on a guest lecture for next week. I love that people still ask me to speak to their classes. That is the one thing that I miss the most from the job. Well, the socialization with colleagues runs a close second, though I do get to chat and visit with some of the friends still working.
All such connections can help improve mental health , physical well-being and reduce risk of dementia. Recent research has explored the impact of isolation during COVID. The findings indicated that what authors termed micro-socialization instances had a major impact on health indicators. Examples of micro connections were chatting with a sales clerk or cashier or joining a group activity such as a knitting, walking or reading group. These could be done on virtual platforms. Taking a class either in person or online also provides these 'weaker' linkages -- still important but not as longterm as family and close friends. I have don MOOC courses before and interactions were via chat rooms and listening to lectures. There was a lot of interaction in some of the larger course groups. I found these quite stimulating. When unable to meet with closer or 'stronger' links due to distance or lockdowns, chatting via virtual platforms help maintain and even strengthen these relationships. Having read some of these findings, it was not a surprise when a grocery chain in Holland added a 'slow' checkout via cashier for customers who wanted to chat through the checkout process. I don't use self checkout lines. I would rather take a few minutes more and go through a line with a real person scanning in the items. In some research, older adults were found to use the lines with a cashier and that these brief encounteres helped to boost mood. My anecdotal experience notes that most days this works. If the cashier is having a day, the experience can be less mood boosting. <smile>
As I've noted in the blog before, small things can mean a lot to people we don't really know. So, smile and not or say hello as you pass someone during your walk through the neighbourhood. Hold the door for someone. Check in on a neighbour or friend to see how things are going. All of the activities discussed by researchers encourage people to be open to others even for a minute or two. It has a positive impact on both parties. The song shared today contains the words of a major Scottish poet. It speaks to the small things that can become bigger. Keep safe. Enjoy!
To A Mouse -- Battlefield Band
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