Moments of Meaningful Connection

Do you remember a time when you felt a deep meaningful connection??

I was reminded of the significance of this feeling on a recent beach getaway with my son. At 14 years old, he is entering the stage of wanting independence which means we are each transitioning to a new rhythm. Being able to change your rhythm is a soft skill I utilize as a family member and team leader. Sometimes this requires reestablishing your connection to your team or an individual. This trip allowed us to focus on our connection with play and exploration. We both love not having a plan and seeing where the day takes us. On this day, he pushed me out of my comfort zone when I found myself upside down and spinning around as we experienced what an astronaut goes through in training. I get nauseous on rides and he knows that. But, I told him I would do it to have the experience with him. Even though I was queasy afterwards, I am glad we shared this adventure. This solo time together reminded us of the importance of arranging time to focus on each other, and we are already planning our next adventure.

Some tips for making times of connection more meaningful:

• Find commonalities to forge bonds: Have deeper conversations with your team members at work. I like to try to find commonalities that we can talk about outside of the work we do. For example, I enjoy cooking, so I will discuss our latest recipe finds. Other times we talk about our pets, working out and mindfulness. These conversations create more impactful connections than strictly talking about work and allow us to develop stronger camaraderie.?
• Provide support: We all face challenges in life. Listening to others with undivided attention supports them when they are dealing with a challenging situation and serves as a gift by making them feel heard and not alone in their hard times. Active listening is about being fully present–giving the speaker undivided attention and being mindful of what is being said.?
• Understand personalities: Whether you are an introvert, extrovert, ambivert, or omnivert in a group setting, you understand that you may not be seen as your true self. Use that same knowledge to take the extra time and effort to understand other peoples’ personalities and perspectives. For example, I tend to be an ambivert– I can be an introvert and extrovert, depending on the situation and my mood. I prefer to invest time to truly learn about people and what drives them. At Actualize Consulting, we have fun with personality tests like DISC. The insights provided deepen our understanding of ourselves and others, resulting in more meaningful engagement. One of the favorite parts of my job as a COO is to support our team both personally and professionally to be their best selves.?

Think about how you can bring more meaningful connections into your day-to-day life in every area of your life. I would love to hear from you.

P.S. Yes, I let him drive around the island at 14! Can you see how happy he is??