Your Social Battery Isn't Broken

You stare at the "join" button for twenty minutes until your screen goes dark. It feels like your social battery is permanently fried.

Living in Northern Ontario as a creative means you already know the vibe of being a bit of an outlier. But lately, the isolation isn’t just about the miles between towns; it’s about that heavy, post-pandemic wall we’ve built around our own routines. We got so used to our own bubbles that the idea of a gallery opening or a simple collective meeting feels like training for a marathon you didn't sign up for. It’s not just a "you" thing; the entire arts sector is vibrating with this weird, collective social anxiety. Overcoming social isolation isn't about throwing a massive rager to prove you're "back"; it’s about the awkward, necessary work of showing up when you’d rather stay home and scroll through a feed that makes you feel worse.

Think about the last time you actually collaborated on something without a screen acting as a buffer. Maybe you’re in a spot like Kenora or Dryden, feeling like the only person who cares about the arts for leagues, but the truth is your community is just as lonely as you are. Breaking these walls requires a bit of radical kindness toward your own brain. You aren't "broken" or "weird" for feeling drained; your nervous system is just stuck in the low-power mode it adopted for survival during the lockdowns. Try a "micro-connection" instead: go to a local studio or library, and just exist in the space for fifteen minutes. You don’t even have to talk to anyone yet, but you need to remind your brain that other humans are generally safe and occasionally even cool.

In the North, we rely on each other to survive the winters, and we have to apply that same grit to our mental health. We need to stop waiting for the perfect moment and just start being mediocre together. Invite one person to work on their separate projects in the same room as you—body doubling is a legit way to fight the creative slump and the loneliness that fuels it. It’s okay if the conversation is clunky or if you both just sit there in silence for a while. We are all re-learning how to be people in the physical world again. Resilience isn't about never feeling lonely; it's about acknowledging the isolation and deciding to poke a hole in it anyway.

For those of you running small arts organizations or collectives, stop trying to make every gathering a high-stakes networking event. People are overwhelmed and their social bandwidth is thin. Create low-pressure "third spaces" where there’s no agenda other than being present with a sketchbook or a laptop. When we lower the barrier to entry, we make it safer for the shyest person in the room to take a seat without feeling like they have to perform. Kindness is the ultimate antidote to the ghosting culture that’s taken over our scenes. Reach out to that one collaborator you haven’t seen since 2022—no guilt trips, just a simple "hey, I miss your brain" message.

The walls of social isolation won't crumble overnight, but they are definitely made of paper, not concrete. You have more agency than you think in rebuilding the social fabric of your town or your circle. Start small, stay grounded, and remember that being a little bit awkward is just the price of admission for genuine connection. You’re doing better than you think, but you don’t have to do it alone.

Northwestern Ontario Arts, Culture and Recreation

Rooted in Melgund Township, Northwestern Ontario we're exploring arts, culture, and recreation programming that brings our communitiess together. From creative workshops and local exhibitions to youth activities and cultural events, we support rural artists, strengthen community connection, and celebrate the creative spirit of Northwestern Ontario.

Through community-based arts initiatives, recreation programming, and cultural gatherings, Melgund Recreation, Arts and Culture fosters creative expression, collaboration, and long-term sustainability in the northern arts sector. Our work connects residents, empowers youth, and builds pride in local talent across rural Northwestern Ontario.

Learn more about our programs, events, and opportunities at Melgund Recreation, Arts and Culture.