Building Deeper Relationships

At the end of the day, when you strip away the layers of materialistic desires, money, fame, social media popularity, power and status, what is left that transcends space and time is human connection. We, as human beings, want to feel connected, to know that we are not alone in this world. Building relationships takes a lot of effort and vulnerability. To form deeper connections, silence the critical voice in your head and focus on the other person. Be genuinely interested in them. When you feel deeply connected with someone, your imperfections do not seem so big anymore because you know you are loved and accepted for who you are. Compare this relationship to a relationship where you are critical of the other person, how close would you really feel to them if you focus on their flaws? This can apply to relationships with family, friends and also professional relationships. Move pass the critical voice that stops you from connecting with another person and you can gain so much by being vulnerable.

Whenever you are spending time with someone who is important to you, give them your full attention. Be present and listen. The ability to be comfortable alone can also help form deeper connections as you are not just merely turning to other people for comfort to appease your own needs but instead appreciating them for who they are as people. It is also important to find a balance between giving and taking in relationships. This is also extended to workplace relationships. The more you can give to the people in your life, the closer they will feel to you. It is difficult to establish a connection if you only take from the people in your life without giving in return. Finding small ways to make someone’s day and to make them feel important can also enhance your relationship.

Let go of grudges. We never know when we are going to lose the people close to us. It’s such a waste to wait for life altering circumstances to change the way we treat people in our lives. Take a step back and re-evaluate your relationships. Life is all about building deeper connections with others. Be open and talk about differences instead of shutting people out because they are different from you. Be curious and learn from one another. This will enrich the relationship and you get to feel closer to them.

Maintaining relationships can be extremely difficult. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you will be able to live life having deeper and meaningful connections with people. It’s scary to let your guard down and let people in but when you do, you get to experience life’s beauty and wonder and share that experience with the people in your life. No one wants to feel alone, we need people in our corner and by conscientiously putting in the effort to maintain relationships, we can add so much value and meaning to our life. Remember that relationships are a two-way street. With a positive and healthy relationship, we energize one another especially when there is great love. Positivity and love energize while hate energy drains. Be aware of the energy you give and take in your relationships.

Source: https://ideas.ted.com/how-to-build-closer-relationships/

Handout for RWS session 5: https://www.dropbox.com/s/s5vlqeclokgrhx2/2. 081014 Interpersonal Relationships.pdf?dl=0

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