Tag Archives: connection

Who are the people who make you think and laugh

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“Who are the people who make you think and laugh? Be the person who takes the initiative and reach out to them.”

—Michael Bungay Stainer discussion with Chip Conley

Image from Unsplash by Surface

I believe the quality of our lives is highly correlated with what we do and those with whom we do them.

For most of us, it is often difficult spending all the time we wish with our favorite people.

We trade our valuable time for other priorities, and often must compromise and settle.

EXERCISE:

How often do you take the initiative to reach out and stay connected to the special people who make you smile and keep you on your toes?

How can you let these people know how important they are so they can also take the initiative to pull you away from people and things not meant for you?

How do you log into life

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How do you log into life? Where do your devices serve and where do they distract you from focusing on what’s most important?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Mourizal Zativa

How did you log into life when you were a kid? How did your parents and grandparents do it?

What devices were available at the time to discover what was going on in the world?

To what degree did and do the following items serve as means of keeping up and connecting with others?

  • Letters of correspondence
  • Books, magazines, and printed materials
  • Records, tapes, CDs, streaming services
  • Television, movies
  • Telegrams, snail mail, e-mail, texting
  • Beepers, pagers, smartphones
  • The internet, social media
  • Family dinners and social gatherings

EXERCISE:

How was your trip down memory lane?

What have you gained or lost along the way?

What “logging in” approaches currently serve you best?

How do you expect things to evolve in the years ahead?

“I think that when the dust settles, we will realize how little we need, how very much we actually have, and…”

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“I think that when the dust settles, we will realize how little we need, how very much we actually have, and the true value of human connection.”

—Author Unknown

Marvin Demp

On March 7 at 1:47 a.m., my father Marvin passed on to be with my mom and other loved ones in Heaven. The morning of his passing, I asked Google to play some of his favorite songs. A direct message came from my dad when “Cheek to Cheek” played — it begins with the words, “Heaven, I’m in Heaven…”.

As we cried and celebrated the life of this wonderful man, my family, friends, and the many loving and generous caregivers who supported him experienced the value and joy of our many human connections.

EXERCISE:

What are some of your stories of extraordinary and simple moments of human connection? How can you more fully embrace the richness these moments offer you each and every day?

 

“Every great group is an island – but an island with a bridge to the mainland.”

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“Every great group is an island – but an island with a bridge to the mainland.”

—Warren Bennis & Patricia Ward, Organizing Genius

Image from Unsplash by Mohamed Thasneem

During my walk this morning the lyrics, “No man is an island, no man stands alone” ran through my mind. The topic of my daily meditation session was interconnectedness.

My daughter and grandson are visiting for the first time in almost six months. Belonging and being a part of our communities has clearly been disrupted and challenged recently, and most of us can feel a sense of emptiness longing to be filled.

Take a close look at all the groups to which you belong. How do they look today? Consider examining any or all of the following, and a few of your own:

• Family • Race
• Neighbors • Age
• City, State, Country • Religion/Faith
• Gender • Career

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you see, build, and cross the bridges between the numerous islands in your life, to find the fundamental mainland we all share?

“It’s all about your audience.”

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“It’s all about your audience.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Gabriel Benois

While walking around my neighborhood the other day I ran into Paul, a friend from my health club when it is not closed due to social distancing efforts.

While keeping our distance, we discussed our families. Mine live in other states, his live nearby. Surprisingly, we discovered that we are both using video chatting platforms to stay connected. He informed me that it was virtually impossible to buy a webcam due to the spike in this method of communication.

In some ways, we have all become video celebrities with our families, friends, and business colleagues as our audiences, and we as theirs.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you more fully demonstrate just how important these people are to you today, and when we can (hopefully) reconnect in person?

Not enough people in the world

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“Not enough people in the world, I think, carry a cosmic perspective with them. It could be life-changing.”

—Neil deGrasse Tyson, American Astrophysicist

Image of Neil deGrasse Tyson

Image from mountainx.com

Perhaps no single person since Carl Sagan has excited the public more about the wonders of science than Neil deGrasse Tyson. His recent work as host of Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey goes steps beyond Sagan’s 1980 version, Cosmos: a Personal Voyage.

Learning about how our universe works and taking a cosmic perspective has me appreciate equally my smallness and my connection to the whole of everything. This perspective has given me a passion for learning and self-development. That, in turn, has provided me much joy and satisfaction, and permits me to embrace the impermanence and the miracle of being alive.

EXERCISE:

How would taking a far more cosmic perspective of your life provide you access to living an even more extraordinary one?

Friday Review Connection

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Friday Review: Connection

Relationships are all about connection. Here are a few connection-related posts you may have missed. Click the link to read the full message.

 

“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.”

 

 

 

 

“A friend is a loved one who awakens your life in order to free the wild possibilities within you.”

 

 

 

 

“Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.”

 

 

 

We are like islands in the sea

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“We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”

—William James, 19th Century American Philosopher/Physician

Image of Human Planet TV Show

One of my favorite forms of entertainment and education is watching documentaries, especially when they relate to our natural world. In the BBC series Human Planet, the filmmakers take us on a journey to many fascinating places around the world, including diverse island communities.

To my delight and fascination, many deeply held common bonds are shared by each society, such as the importance of family, community, contribution, and the desire to serve a higher purpose.

EXERCISE:

How can you look below the surface of your current professional and personal relationships to see more of what connects versus separates us from one another?

Happier Days

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“Our days are happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.”

—Ritu Ghatourey, East Indian Author

Image of Wayne Dyer

Image from Awaken.com

Wayne Dyer, who passed away on August 29, 2015, was an American philosopher, self-help author, and motivational speaker.

His life was a testament to his own journey of personal, professional, and spiritual growth. In many ways he was a true seeker of wisdom, and did more than many others in his field to pay forward his own lesson to millions of people, through various talk shows, countless speeches, and PBS specials.

One of his key teachings is that we are all connected to a divine source. By tapping into that divinity we can all live better and more richly rewarding lives.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom would giving more of your heart instead of your mind become the source of greater happiness, and perhaps make Wayne Dyer smile in his ongoing divine journey?

find a better connection

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“There is no WiFi in the forest but I promise you will find a better connection.”

-Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Radu Emanuel

Image from Unsplash by Radu Emanuel

Remember when you played outside until your mother called you in for dinner? Today’s children probably won’t. The National Wildlife Foundation reports that the average American child spends as few as 30 minutes in outdoor activities each day, and more than seven hours in front of some form of electronic screen. Our kids are out of shape, stressed out, and truly tuned out due to their lack of connection to the natural world so essential to their health and development.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you, your children, and others you care about spend far more time in the green and natural beauty of the outdoors? Imagine all the benefits to your body, mind, and spirit!