According to popular psychology theories including those espoused by Anthony Robbins, a feeling of connection to other humans is one of the 6 main needs we have as humans, once the physical requirements are met.
Here are 6 great tips to get you started on fostering good relations and feeling more connected with others.
1. Give generously. Share your time, talents, and hospitality. Look for opportunities to help others with practical assistance or a kind word. Remember to give generously to yourself too. You can't feed others from an empty bowl!
2. Listen closely. Give others your full attention. You’ll strengthen your relationships and run into fewer conflicts. Try listening to understand rather than just reply (which is kind of our default position).
3. Offer forgiveness. Be quick to pardon others. You may be able to heal the relationship, or you may decide that you need to move on. Either way, you’ll benefit from giving up any resentment or hurt feelings. It's said that anger is a pain we carry around that hurts only ourselves. The same goes for forgiving yourself and experiencing more self compassion.
4. Stay in touch. Take care of the relationships that you value. Set up regular dates to get together with friends and reach out to old contacts who you haven’t seen in a while. If you're anything like me you might need a wee reminder to do this. Try sitting down once a week and asking yourself who you haven't spoken to in a while and make a commitment to reach out.
5. Eat together. Sharing food brings people together. Enjoy family dinners as often as possible and host potluck gatherings for your friends. There's a lot to be said for gaining trust and understanding by "breaking bread" with someone.
6. Smile more. Simply putting on a happy face can make you seem more attractive and likeable. Create a trigger that reminds you to smile. It could be a certain word or a frequent event like your phone ringing. These wee cues we set up for ourselves really do make all the difference to be mindful to do certain things.
It doesn't have to be earth shattering lifestyle changes that help you create a better life for yourself and your loved ones. Simple ideas like this consistently applied can make the world of difference.
You can transform your life without having to move to a new city or train like an Olympic athlete. Focus on one simple action at a time and watch the benefits add up.
What else have you tried that helps you stay connected and foster better relations?
Please share you ideas in the comments section below.
