I joined a podcast recently with 2 colleagues and friends I’ve known for over 20 years. After we stopped recording, we spent some time catching up on our current lives and reminiscing about previous projects. At one point, we started getting philosophical and discussed the future of our optometric meetings: Are they still relevant and necessary?

A week after recording that podcast, I spoke for several hours at a professional meeting. My topics were related to office culture, leadership, team building, and burnout, all of which I’m passionate about, and I felt re-energized after speaking. During those few days of the meeting, I had several meals and coffee with friends and colleagues. I ran into people I knew while walking through the exhibit hall. Friends stopped me in the hallways. I made new friends. Lectures enhance our knowledge base, but I’ve found that it’s often conversations with people outside the classroom that have a greater impact on our practices. Over the years, I’ve learned that my business has grown and thrived more by learning from my colleagues’ experiences.

It wasn’t until the podcast and the meeting that I realized I’ve been in a funk over the winter. Months with fewer daylight hours affect mental health; that’s why there are seasonal affective disorder awareness months. But humans are also wired for connection. Research shows that social connection directly improves mental health and protects against stress and depression.¹ We tend to be happier when we’re engaged in activities with others.² In a 2025 peer-reviewed study, researchers analyzed how social interaction affects happiness, and they found that activities performed with others boost feelings of happiness and connection.² Even activities we often associate with solitude, like reading or commuting, are more enjoyable when shared. Building new connections can reduce loneliness, improve mood, and strengthen support networks.³ Even the CDC recognizes social connection as being preventive against stroke, heart disease, depression, and dementia.⁴

Being from North Dakota, I realized that, during those months with less daylight, I’d been hibernating, preferring to stay inside and read instead of connecting with the outside world. Professional meetings allow us not only to reconnect with friends but also to expand our network and meet new people. They are the one place where meeting new people is done intentionally, fostering a sense of community and mutual support, which benefits our mental health and practice. Conferences also combine learning with shared social experience—2 elements that science shows increase well-being and foster a sense of belonging.^1-4

In the world of digital connectivity, the most valuable things we bring back from a meeting aren’t the handouts or slide decks, but rather the new connections we make and the reminder that we are not doing this work alone. As the daylight hours lengthen, I feel I’ve emerged from hibernation with renewed energy, thanks to a little support from my optometric friends.OM

References

1. Holt‐Lunstad J. Social connection as a critical factor for mental and physical health: evidence, trends, challenges, and future implications. World Psychiatry. 2024;23(3):312–332. doi:10.1002/wps.21224
2. Folk D, Dunn E. Everything is better together: analyzing the relationship between socializing and happiness in the American Time Use Survey. Soc Psychol Pers Sci. 2026;17(4):426-435. doi:10.1177/19485506251364333
3. Grewal A, Yu C, Refol J, et al. What are the benefits of making new social connections? Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health, Evidence Brief. March 12, 2023. Accessed May 28, 2026. https://www.socialconnectionguidelines.org/en/evidence-briefs/what-are-the-benefits-of-making-new-social-connections
4. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Social connection. May 15, 2024. Accessed May 28, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/social-connectedness/about/index.html

Dori M. Carlson, OD, MAL, FAAO is the owner of Heartland Eye Care in Park River and Grafton, North Dakota. She was the first woman to serve as president of the American Optometric Association, and, most recently, she was a 2019 recipient of Women In Optometry’s Theia Award for Leadership.