What is Social and Cultural Wellness?
• Developing and maintaining healthy relationships with family, friends and romantic partners
• Respecting cultural identities of other individuals• Budgeting time to spend with loved ones
• Feeling confident and content whether in a romantic relationship or not
• Feeling confident and content spending time alone or with others
• Managing unhealthy relationships in an effective way
Strategies to Enhance Social and Cultural Wellness
Be willing to meet new people and make new friends
- Be assertive but friendly by smiling, introducing yourself and being open to meeting others in all kinds of places
- Sign up for courses or activities on campus which genuinely interest you
- Take up offers that come your way and look for new experiences. Unfamiliar situations can be an opportunity for personal growth and meeting new people
Manage challenging relationships with friends, colleagues, romantic partners or family members
- Be yourself and respect your own thoughts and feelings
- Practice communicating using “I” statements and being clear about your needs
- Try to resolve conflicts through compromise. Look at the other person’s perspective and respect their point of view
Overcome culture shock either as a new student in Canada or a Canadian student going abroad
- Do some research on your host country so you are well prepared
- Spend time with local citizens, they can help you learn the subtleties of your host country or language
- Be open-minded and stay active, look for opportunities to try new things
Return back to the Wellness Wheel.
© 2010 by Simon Fraser University-Health and Counselling Services Image adapted with permission of Simon Fraser University-Health and Counselling Services, (July 26, 2010). Simon Fraser University maintains all rights of reproduction and publication to this page and the overall Wellness Wheel.
