I’ve experienced different shades of isolation, and each one has shaped the way I understand connection. What I know now - both from research and from lived experience - is this: connection isn’t just “nice to have.” It’s essential for our emotional, mental, and even physical health.

Science confirms it: people with strong social ties are 50% more likely to live longer than those without them (Holt-Lunstad, 2010). On the flip side, lacking connection raises the risk of early death by nearly 30% -a risk comparable to smoking or obesity (WHO, 2023).

But beyond the statistics, there’s the lived reality of what it feels like to be disconnected - and what it feels like to find your way back.

🏡 Physical Isolation: When Working from Home Turns Into “Social Dieting”

As a work-at-home person, physical isolation can sneak up on me.

I’ll get lost in a project, and before I know it, the only people I’ve spoken to in days are my husband and the little Zoom boxes on my computer screen. At first, it feels fine — productive, even. But over time, it becomes a kind of social dieting. And just like skipping meals, the hunger catches up. For me, it shows up as depression, low energy, and the urge to retreat even further.

The turning point always comes when I get pulled - sometimes unwillingly - into a potluck or a hands-on team project. Suddenly, I’m laughing, energized, and reminded of something simple but easy to forget: I need people.

One of my best friends, who’s known me since childhood, will sometimes call and say: “I can see I’m starting to isolate. Let’s go for a walk.” That kind of lifeline — a friendship that gently pulls you out of your own head — is priceless.

👉 Try this: If you’ve been home for days, text a friend and suggest a short walk or coffee. Connection doesn’t have to be long or elaborate — even 15 minutes can shift your energy.

🚀 Emotional Isolation: Building Something New Without a Safety Net

Another form of isolation is emotional - and I felt this deeply when I launched Ploppals.

I had (and still have) a vision: toys, books, digital products, and media that spread joy and connection. I believe Ploppals can make a difference in how people feel about themselves and each other.

But very few people in my circles understood what I was building. Friends and acquaintances would ask: “So… when are you going back to your old line of work?” Instead of encouragement, I felt doubt and distance.

That kind of lack of belief can feel like the rug is swept out from under you. Thankfully, my husband and my best friend listened to my dreams without judgment. They stood beside me, even when the path wasn’t clear. And that support? It made all the difference.

👉 Try this: If you know someone chasing a dream, resist the urge to “fix” or question it. Just listen. Say: “I believe in you. I’m excited to see where this goes.” You may never know how much that one phrase can carry them.

🌍 Social Isolation: When the World Says You Don’t Belong

There’s another kind of isolation - one I haven’t experienced firsthand, but I’ve seen deeply in others. This is the isolation that comes from being shunned for who you are - for your race, your identity, your preferences, or simply the way you stand out from the norm.

Research shows that social rejection and discrimination are not only emotionally painful, they’re physically damaging. Social disconnection has been linked to higher rates of heart disease, dementia, depression, and more (CDC, 2023).

The antidote is simple to say, harder to practice: being seen and valued for who we are, without judgment or comparison. To look at ourselves without shame and know we are enough.

👉 Try this: Practice “micro-affirmations” - small gestures that signal acceptance and value. Smile at a stranger. Compliment a coworker. Use someone’s name. Invite the new person into your group. Tiny acts can remind someone: You belong here.

🧡 What Science + Stories Teach Us

Connection uplifts us because it says, “You matter. You’re not alone. You belong.”

• The Harvard Adult Development Study found that strong relationships were a stronger predictor of long-term happiness than wealth, class, or IQ.

• Studies show even small acts of kindness - a note, a smile, a check-in - ripple outward, boosting the happiness of both giver and receiver.

• On the hardest days, it’s not the perfect words that carry us. It’s presence. Laughter. A friend’s hand on your shoulder.

✨ 3 Simple Ways to Spark Connection Today

1. Send a message now. Think of one person who might be lonely or discouraged. Text them: “Thinking of you today.”

2. Leave a note. Use Kindness Notes or a sticky note to remind someone: “You’re enough.”

3. Share a laugh. Send a silly meme. Tell a goofy story. Laughter is one of the fastest ways to close the gap between isolation and belonging.

🌈 Final Thought

Connection isn’t a luxury - it’s a lifeline. Whether it’s walking with a friend, supporting someone’s dream, or simply noticing the person beside you, these small moments remind us of who we are and who we belong to.

Because when we connect, we don’t just uplift others.
We uplift ourselves too.

with love,
Heather
Founder, Ploppals