New Words for 2014
May 23, 2014Beating Addiction
June 7, 2014Human Connections and Addiction
Connections are made out of our sense of something – the simple seduction of wanting to be attached somehow. Addictions cause people to lose that sense of connection. Use of chemicals, of any sort, causes one to be connected only to the chemical. The loss of spouse, children, friends and co-workers isolates one to the point where other types of emotional concerns may develop.
When we do connect we seem to have lost the importance of a person. We don’t take the time to really get to know others as in: What do you do for a living? Where are you from originally? Tell me about your life….
What would it be like if we tried to get to know someone for something other than what their sign/color is? To begin to develop history with a person rather than just a moment in time when “play” is the thing that is important? Novel thought, right?
A number of years ago 73% of US hotels were considering offering broadband connections so people would have access to office and clients 24/7/365. Are those the connections we really want to have? At the end of our days what will this have given us? We build more computers to hold more stuff but we communicate less and less!
Here are some ways to connect with people:
- Be genuine and authentic
- Be present (i.e. off chemicals)
- Listen to what others have to say
- Make yourself unforgettable in a good way
- Show up and be willing to extend yourself to others
- Make people a part of your environment
- Always have integrity
Just doing these simple things will help you be more connected with others and feel better about your life in general. Remember this simple adage: A friend is one who knows all about you and still likes you!
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects.” ― Herman Melville