How to get closer to those you care about these days?
So much of seeing a dream come true involves being connected to those we love. There is nothing more frustrating and discouraging than being disconnected from those we care about in our lives. Without the connection we are craving, life and accomplishment fall flat.
What we talk about a lot here in our company is how connection is currency.
And in our family, we are constantly working on maintaining and even bettering our connections to one another. This is a constant priority.
With the holidays approaching and the possibility that some of our family members won’t be able to visit with the continued health threat, our connections could also feel compromised. My husband’s family told us yesterday that they are not going to be able to come to Thanksgiving or Christmas. 😢 That was super sad since we have not been able to see them for almost a year already.
So how do you get closer to people you care for? (especially with social distancing disrupting your plans to see one another)
#1 Prioritize Your Relationships – Seems silly to say this, but with relationships relegated to phone, text, Face time or Zoom…there may be something lost with the feeling that this is NOT personal and less inclined to make time happen. But if that’s what you have, then make the most of it and prioritize them. If people can get married on Zoom, then we can enjoy Thanksgiving together on Zoom. That’s what we plan to do this year with my in-laws. And of course, prioritize connection within your own home. That means making time and gaining new skills to connect.
#2 Cultivate Vulnerability – If you are just talking news, sports and weather in your interactions, something is bound to be missing in terms of satisfaction in relationships. Vulnerability is a power and a strength. It is beautiful. If you have never watched Brené Brown’s “The Power of Vulnerabilty” Ted Talk, I highly advise that now. Because now more than ever, we are going to have to get good at being transparent and vulnerable. That is a surefire way to strengthen your bonds and grow closer even on Zoom. My last LYV group spent 2 full days together vulnerably sharing our lives and dreams with one another. There was not a dry eye in any of the houses and we are forever bonded through that experience. So don’t tell me it cannot be done virtually…because I have 10 women that would share otherwise. But it does take a willingness to be uncomfortable. Practice and cultivate Vulnerability with those you love and care about. It’s a sure-fire way to grow closer to those you care about.
#3 Communicate Warmth – When we look at some of the greatest figures in history, we often see that they had enduring friendships. How did high-powered men like Ben Franklin have amazing success? They communicated with warmth and affection to those they cared about and it paid dividends in their overall life.
#4 Learn the gestures of Love – What small acts of kindness can you include daily to those you care about? Little things like Joel making me a vanilla latte and delivering it to me in my room go a long way to making me feel thought about and cultivating goodwill. Look for ways to cultivate goodwill in your relationships and watch others open up to you and the connections get strengthened.
• Taken from The Friendship Factor by Alan Loy McGuinnis
With all the obstacles to relationship building lately and the increasing threat of isolation at this time, I thought it timely to offer some practical tips that have helped me to stay close and even get closer during this time.
Here’s to getting closer to those you care about!
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