Are you finding it harder and harder to connect with friends, family, clients and customers? Is sitting down with them over a leisurely dinner, a business lunch or to have a meaningful conversation darn near impossible? It seems like the more gadgets and gizmos we have for communicating the less connecting we do.
As Baby Boomers are down sizing their homes and up scaling their furnishings, media centers and home accessories they are finding themselves more and more un-connected. On the other hand, Gen Xers and Yers who have been electronically connected all of their lives are also finding themselves lacking in the arena of personal fulfilling and meaningful relationships with family and friends.
The Connection Conundrum
In our world today with cement cities, cubicles, sound pollution and isolated environments, it is no wonder we are unable to connect. Add to that television, garage door openers, the internet and thousands of hand held self interactive games; we have programmed our last several generations to be totally self absorbed and self connected but isolated from interaction with others. Now don’t get me wrong, I like and use just as many of these modern day devices as you do. But, there is a price that we as a society are paying for all of these wonderful technological advances.
When was the last time you sat down with one of your children or grandchildren and just played a game or put a puzzle together? When was the last time you had a spur of the moment tea party for your neighbors or a few friends? I was recently invited to just such a luncheon by a friend and had the honor of meeting her Mother, sister and a couple of other friends. Since she didn’t like to cook, she fussed over us by getting fantastic wraps from a local natural foods market along with some munchies and a huge bowl of fresh fruit for dessert. Talk about connecting; the conversation and company were stimulating, refreshing and the time shared was filled with much joy. Everyone left energized and smiling.
Are you ready to connect?
There are so many wonderful ways to create positive energy and re-build or create for the first time those wonderful much needed connections that warm our hearts and nurture our souls. Try a few of the connection ideas below:
Give your spouse or best friend a bouquet of flowers or a mini gift; watch for the smile, it is contagious
Invite your neighbors in for fresh cookies and tea or coffee; spread joy, it will return tenfold
Take your granddaughters and a couple of their friends out for afternoon tea, dresses, hats, gloves and all; experience life together and create positive energy memories
Take your grandson and his buddies fishing, take lots of food and teach them to bait a hook; listen to them, you’ll learn what they are thinking and doing and experience life through their eyes
Visit a shut-in and leave behind a greeting card or a bookmark that will remind them of your visit; your positive energy will surround them for days
Pop a huge bowl of popcorn and watch a favorite movie with your children; share in their joy of spending time with you
Call a client just to see how he or she is and wish everyone in their family well for the new year; your client will be amazed and will remember the call long after you’ve ended the conversation
Watch television less, connect with people more; loneliness disappears
Make an effort to make at least one special connection with at least one family member, an old or new friend or neighbor every month this year; you will dramatically increase your own positive energy
It doesn’t matter whether you start your connecting at home with family, friends and neighbors or with a long distance friend you haven’t seen since grade school or a shut-in. Your life will be richly rewarded with wonderful new positive energy that you’ve created both for those you’ve connected with as well as yourself. Everyone wins by getting a positive energy boost from the connecting experience.
© Pat Heydlauff, all rights reserved 2007
Pat Heydlauff is a Feng Shui consultant, public speaker, columnist and artist. She has been a Feng Shui specialist consulting with families and businesses since the early 90’s with clients ranging from California and the Midwest to Florida. For Feng Shui consultations, speaking engagements and energy design work in the home, office or for self, call Pat now at 561 799-3443, or visit her website, www.Energy-by-Design.com.