The new year is a good time to think about what you want to change in the months ahead. And, while plenty of people have the usual goals of trying to eat healthier, exercise more and drink less, others are focusing on being better at something many of us have never heard of before: social fitness. In a nutshell, social fitness is about feeling more comfortable in social situations β and not canceling plans because you're too anxious about not knowing anyone at the party or walking away from a conversation worrying about something inappropriate you might have said.
It's something lawyer C. Mike Schmidt has been working on. There is no simple definition for social fitness, but the term is generally used to refer to having good social skills. Being socially fit means feeling comfortable navigating all of that β which often takes work, Aaron Brinen , assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life.
Working on social fitness involves flexing the skills involved in interacting with others, Brinen says. For example, U. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy stated in a report that loneliness and social isolation is linked to a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression and anxiety, and even dying early.
Brinen says that whether or not you struggle with social anxiety, many people have recognized the importance of socializing regularly and finding common ground with others.
The best way to work on your social fitness is to be as social as possible, Brinen says. There are plenty of ways to do that. Spending quality time with a partner or making plans for an in-person get-together with friends can also help, Ammon says.
