Thinking of taking a rain-check? Don't

Sometimes life just gets in the way of the things you actually want to do, and were looking forward to earlier in the week until your schedule spiralled out of control. After a busy start to the week, its tempting to cancel those drinks with friends you arranged for this evening, or make an excuse not to attend a family gathering at the weekend. You’ve got so many things to do between now and Friday, and you’re going to need the weekend to get caught up and ready for next week, right?

Wrong. The answering is not cancelling social engagements, it’s keeping them – and attending them, even when it’s the last thing you feel like doing.

Staying connected to others makes you feel like part of the world, rather than someone walking around with the weight of it on their shoulders.

Even simple things like chatting to the people waiting in line at the coffee kiosk of a morning, or taking two minutes to ask a work colleague how their day is going can get you away from the feelings of lonlieness that being stressed can trigger in all of us. And never underestimate the feel good hormones that spending time with people who are important to you can release. So next time you’re thinking of taking a rain-check, stop and think about the positive benefits you'll gain from keeping your plans in place.