Reconnecting - Easier Than You Think

When we lead busy lives, it is easy for friendships and connections to take a back seat.

I was reminded recently how, when we get together, good friendships keep us happy and healthy. 

Writing is a solitary pursuit; sometimes that’s what it takes to make real progress. After hibernating over the winter months, it is wonderful to reconnect with friends and meet new people in person.

We overestimate the challenges and underestimate the benefits of human connection. 

Relationships can be messy and unpredictable. They can also be immensely rewarding. Meaningful relationships and connections are essential for a good and happy life.

Technology can be a distraction.

When we scroll through news feeds and posts, it can make us feel more isolated. On the other hand, close friendships emerged online and were strengthened during the pandemic.

As our circumstances change, we have opportunities to make new friends while also valuing long-term friends. It takes time for strangers to grow into close friends and to maintain those friendships.

Group settings can make us feel disconnected. 

We can feel disconnected in a group setting if we are not included in the conversation, as it feels like we do not belong. 

Proximity matters. 

Face to face interaction is important to cultivate and maintain relationships. Mutually rewarding deep friendships help us to grow, to feel supported and bring us joy.

Quality friendships emerge when we give our time to others so that we understand and are understood. When we nurture our friends by spending time together it is time well spent. 

Having diverse relationships boosts our health and wellbeing. 

Interesting things happen when people from diverse backgrounds with different life experiences come together to discover new things. 

This is particularly important with intergenerational friendships which widen our perspectives and shake up perceived differences. In times of greater mobility, with families living in different places, we miss out on precious connections across generations. 

Entering a new friendship with someone different from yourself can be life-transforming. You may discover another side to yourself, leading to different interests and new pursuits.  

It doesn’t have to be complicated. 

It can be an informal shared meal, a coffee and chat, or a walk together. Being outdoors surrounded by nature strengthens bonds and builds new connections. 

High quality close connections are more important to well-being than the number of connections. 

Making regular times to meet up, showing up and being intentional about meeting up again: all these contribute to robust friendships. A one-sided relationship is likely to flounder.

We can move beyond small talk and superficial connections.

We can skip small talk to find a place of kinship and affinity, to belong at a deeper level.  

Recently I discovered a fun way to have meaningful conversations, reignite relationships and recharge human connections.

Re-Connect, the Human Connection Card Game, is a win-win. It helps us connect more deeply with ourselves and each other.  Give it a go! It’s easier than you think to reconnect. 

https://www.re-connect.shop