Ramping Up Social and Cultural Wellness in Honor of LGBT Pride Month

June is LGBTQ Pride Month, and that means it's a good time to talk about social and cultural wellness.

Social wellness is the ability to develop healthy relationships with those around you, while cultural wellness encompasses recognizing your own background and accepting cultural diversity in your community. Through the pursuit of both of these, individuals can develop and maintain positive, respectful relationships that can benefit themselves and those around them.

When it comes to the LGBTQ community, finding acceptance and support can often be a tall order. According to a recent study, more than 50% of LGBTQ individuals experience interpersonal discrimination, including slurs, microagressions, sexual harassment, violence, and more. Furthermore, more than one in six LGBTQ adults avoids seeking healthcare due to anticipated discrimination.

Not only is this kind of behavior harmful and hurtful to people in the LGBTQ community, but it creates a society that's unpleasant for everyone. Today, we know more than ever how important it is to be kind and accepting of one another. To do this, we can all strive to achieve social and cultural wellness.

3 Practical Ways to Achieve Social Wellness

Social wellness includes being kind to yourself and to others. Here's how you can go about practicing it:

1. Know YourselfOf course, we all know ourselves. But do you really know yourself? What are your needs, your preferences, your values? If you're not clear on these things, how can you communicate them to others? Knowing who you are, setting boundaries, and striving for personal growth can help you cultivate positive relationships with family and friends around you. It can also help you feel less threatened by people who are different than you.

2. Don't Criticize and BlameEvery relationship consists of two people, so when something goes awry, it can be very easy to blame. Yourself or the other. Avoid this trap. Criticism and blame only perpetuate an unhealthy cycle, and can even lead to depression and anxiety. Instead, practice positive self-talk and speak positively about others. Try to give constructive criticism as opposed to destructive criticism.

3. Practice Self-CareSelf-care means doing things for yourself that will uplift you and make you feel good in the long-run. The last 4 words in the previous sentence are critical since if you're not thinking in the long-run, you can do all sorts of things that are the opposite of self-care. Drinking too much, doing drugs, or hanging out with people who have a negative influence are all things that can feel good at the moment, but in the long-run, they can lead to self-destruction.

Instead, choose one or two things that you can do that will feel good at the moment and give you the peace and balance you crave. This can be getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, having coffee with a friend, etc. Practicing self-care is a great way to achieve social wellness.

3 Practical Ways to Achieve Cultural WellnessCultural wellness includes recognizing where you come from and acknowledging how your background makes you perceive others. It also includes being open to people from different cultures.

1. Educate Yourself About DiversityEvery single person has his or her own story. We come from different families, backgrounds, cultures, and countries. In order to achieve acceptance, you first need to learn about diversity. Why is diversity a positive thing? What are some things you can learn from other cultures? From other groups? If you know someone who has a different background than you, take the time to learn about it.

2. Explore Different PerspectivesIt's easy to write someone off because they don't look or act like you, but the more noble effort is to try to understand where that person is coming from. Try to view situations from a different perspective. This can help you resolve conflicts, compromise, and open yourself up to new thoughts and ideas.

3. Look For Growth OpportunitiesWhen you're not in your comfort zone, resist the urge to be scared. Rather, think of it as an opportunity. Being around people who are different can be an opportunity for growth, an opportunity to learn new things, expand your horizons, and perhaps discover some wonderful new friends.

Benefits of Achieving Social and Cultural WellnessWhen we have good relationships and accept those around us, it can lead to good emotional health. In fact, it's a cycle. The better your relationships and the more accepting you are, the better you feel. The better you feel, the better your relationships will be, and so on. When you are emotionally healthy, you don't have anger or fear toward others who may be different. In short, both you and everyone around you benefits.

Moreover, when you achieve emotional health, there is a high likelihood that your entire quality of life will improve. According to Sproutt's QL5 Index, emotional health is a key factor in contributing to the overall high quality of life. Another benefit is that when you're emotionally healthy, you are more likely to qualify for lower rates on life insurance. That's what we call a win-win situation.

Sproutt insurance advisors are available to help you determine what kind of life insurance is best for you. Simply answer a few questions and we will find the best-value plan for your lifestyle, needs, and budget.