“Connect” is one of the five ways to wellbeing identified by the New Economics Foundation that we can build into our daily lives to improve and maintain wellbeing. There are many ways we have lost the readiness to connect with the break up of extended families, the advent of technology which makes the diminishes the need to be or speak with people. But we are social animals and our wellbeing depends on it.

I know that when the day started my spirits were low for various reasons and I went out networking and met some lovely people and was lifted by that. But I know that I could easily have chosen not to go. And many women I speak to on a daily basis tell of the isolation they have felt when suffering from a mental health problem such as postnatal depression. They know it is of their own doing when they put on the pretence of everything being ok because they fear the stigma of being labeled as having a mental illness. Lack of connection is both cause and effect of mental illness.

Today’s connections have led not only to a rise in my spirits but to new business opportunities up here in Cheshire; developing a women’s workshop with Diva Dressing for This Lady Loves and a wellbeing workshop with Rise and Shine for Essence of Life UK and connections have led to the offer of an interview for a national paper and the opportunity to be involved in a new charity. And I feel excited and energized.

So if you could do one thing today to ensure you connect with someone who would it be? Get up from behind the computer and make a real quality connection with someone. Invest the time in developing new and existing relationships on a daily basis and see how you feel.