Engaging in Mandatory Wellness Checks: The Lonely Epidemic

 

“I’ve never been lonely. Been in a room — I’ve felt suicidal. I’ve been depressed. Felt awful — awful beyond all — but I never felt that one other person could enter that room and cure what was bothering me…or that any number of people could enter that room. In other words, loneliness is something I’ve never been bothered with because I’ve always had this terrible itch for solitude. It’s being at a party, or at a stadium full of people cheering for something, that I might feel lonely. I’ll quote Ibsen, “The strongest men are the most alone.”

Quote from Henry Charles Bukowski, American poet, novelist, and short story writer

The crew is back together and catching up. We’re discussing the Lonely epidemic and the ways many of us struggle with the different levels of loneliness.  At some point, we will come to realize we need healthy relationships. All animals are social which includes human beings. 

How Did We Become a Lonely Nation?

The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a public health epidemic in the United States (refer to Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation, publication released Spring 2023). The Surgeon General described loneliness as an “underappreciated public health crisis” that has harmed individual and societal health.

According to the Surgeon General, about half of U.S. adults reported feeling lonely in recent years.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, one out of two people in the United States reported experiencing loneliness.

Younger people, ages 18 to 24, are feeling it even more—almost eight out of 10 people in this age range reported feeling lonely.

Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline.

While the epidemic of loneliness and isolation is widespread and has profound consequences for our individual and collective health and well-being, the medicine is simple, social connection.

Social connection is beneficial for individual health and also improves the resilience of our communities. Evidence shows that increased connection can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, dementia, and depression. Communities where residents are more connected with one another fare better on several measures of population health, community safety, community resilience when natural disasters strike, prosperity, and civic engagement.

Coincidentally, this is why we share our stories…

The Financial Griot is a play on two words (Finance + Griot) that hold significance in closing the wealth gap while embracing our differences. The medicine is always simpler than we think. It really helps to connect and share stories of growth, resilience, opportunity, and embracing challenges. Beyond that, we throw in some finances, data, resources, and action steps.

If haven’t heard it recently, WE want you to WIN. Specifically, we want you to become financially literate and then take it a step further to become financially fluent. Can you imagine being a Millionaire in 20 years or less? Yeah, it’s possible. 80% of millionaires are the first generation. You can learn to emulate what works instead of stewing over what doesn’t.

So there you have it, The Financial Griot, or TFG for short. The hosts were able to amass over $3 Million in wealth in about eight years and are on track to retire early. We will gladly share the secrets if you want them since the opportunity is abundant and Win-Win.

Instead of dwelling on being lonely, get out and start moving again. There is always an 80% solution to everything.

Find the TFG Crew Hosts on Instagram 

• Alainta Alcin – Blogger, Travel and Money Enthusiast @alainta_alcin
• Lovely Merdelus – Entrepreneur and Small Business Growth Specialist @lovelymerdelus
• Lawrence Delva-Gonzalez – Financial Literacy Enthusiast and Financial Foodie @GQ_Accountant

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