Since your goal here is to get and feel connected to other people, consider joining a sports team as opposed to going to the gym and working out on your own. It may be tempting to sign up for an exercise class, but you may find that the participants come to class , follow the movements, and leave without having much interaction with each other.
When you sign up to be part of a hockey, soccer, or basketball team , you will need to interact with the other players on the team to learn how to work together to perform well. All of you will need to get to know each other's strengths and weaknesses as players to achieve your goal of winning more often than you lose. You will have no choice but to be an active participant in the process. Basketball is ideal since it can be played indoors or out, and affordable basketball hoops can be easily installed almost anywhere.
Become a Volunteer
One way to get your mind off of your own concerns is to find a worthy cause and volunteer your time to help out. Many organizations can use some help from time to time, and you can choose to volunteer for a short time or make a long-term commitment. It all depends on the amount of time you have available and how much of a commitment you are willing and able to make.