Connecting With Family And Strangers

September 29th, 2009

Connecting with your family

See them more regularly – One of the top New Years resolutions year upon year is to see family more. It’s like an eternal itch, we all know we should do it, but we don’t make time for it. When you’re on your deathbed, you’re going to regret every moment that you spent wasting time and wish you’d put it into productive use like seeing your family, make a conscious choice against it.

Accept their faults – They’re not even really faults, they are differences from the social norm that make them unique, a good thing right? Great thinkers tend to differ from the social norm, leading to a general rise in consciousness.

Let the quiet family member decide – If a decision is to be made, they will feel empowered and appreciated and may even come out of their shell more.

It doesn’t cost alot (or even any) money – Have you ever noticed how if you get a child a big toy at christmas, they have more fun playing with the actual box that the £100 toy? Children don’t know the value of money, they trade their value in fun.

Give them your time over your money – People don’t care how many presents you give them, or how much those presents costs. It’s the fact that they care about you and recognisation that’s the underlying current here. Recognise them for who they are. Spend an hour simply listening to them, don’t be formulating your next answer to the question, just be totally present with them.

Set group goals – When a goal is spread around people and they are empowered, they are much easier to achieve. Sit down and set goals that benefit all the family, because you will be with them mroe often and working towards a common goal, you will be effective, efficient and connecting all at the same time, triple bonus!

Connecting with strangers

Give an unselfish gift- Giving a gift without expecting anything in return is one of the best qualities a person can develop. If the person knows that you don’t expect anything in return, they will be grateful. Do this regularly. and a bond is created whereby nobody is owed anything, but each person would give to the other unconditionally.

Talk to someone in public, anyone - Make a comment about the weather (it’s all the English ever talk about) or the football, most people will be glad that you’ve talked to them. Try and mention something during the conversation that you have in common, and mention their name!

Never underestimate the power of a smile and kind words – A compliment has deeper effect than we can imagine. I once saw a video on youtube where a man, inspired by a film, filled up strangers gas tanks at petrol stations for free, one guy who said he’d had a really bad week, nearly started crying with appreciation at the selfnessness.