 Do you feel connected or disconnected?
No I'm not talking just about the internet. I'm talking about the many different ways in our daily lives, that we are either connected or disconnected to:- the people in our lives, our work, our duties, our values, leisure activities, technology.
Let me give you some examples.
You are connected when you:-
» Spend some time on the computer, but know when to turn it off to do other things like get out into the fresh air, chat to people face-to-face.
» Balance your mode of communication with a mix of - texting, emails, facebook, twitter, ph, with regular personal interaction.
» Enjoy regular social contact & sharing interests.
» Do regular outdoor physical activities. A daily 30min walk is great for your mental & physical health.
» Taking the time to listen to others & what they are really saying.
» When making presentations, being more focussed on interacting with the audience, rather than putting the main focus on the slide show.
» Turn off mobile when eating out, to properly enjoy the company of others. Also turn off when attending seminars or meetings, to be better involved.
» Share regular meals with family members with TV turned off.
» Making time to just 'be' - to connect with your inner self. Did you know that men are supposed to be more intuitive than women? We all need to listen more to our inner knowing, to feel more connected to what we are meant to be doing.
» Living in the 'now' rather than dwelling on the past or waiting for the future.
You are disconnected when you:-
• Flick emails to work colleagues just nearby, instead of speaking verbally with them.
• Constantly check your mobile ph no matter where you are & only half listening to others.
• Spend more time 'chatting' on the internet than chatting with others face-to-face.
• Spend a lot more time indoors than outdoors.
• In a presentation, putting more attention on the slide show than interacting with your listeners.
• Busy, busy ... all the time, doing things that in the big picture, are not that important.
• Feel more connected to the workplace & 'switch-off' when you get home, preferring to watch TV or go on the computer, rather than spending time chatting with family members.
• Spend too much time thinking of the past or future & not living in the present.
• Don't allow some regular quiet 'time out' for yourself, to reflect on what is/isn't working in your life and what you can change or let go of.
Do a checklist of the 2 sections you have just read. Evaluate where you do feel a sense of connection & also which areas in the 'disconnected' section you can change, to enhance the quality of your life. Human beings are meant to be social creatures & it is a growing concern how more people, especially the younger generation, are becoming addicted to technology communication. It is here to saty & has many benefits, however needs to be balanced with personal interaction.
The Fastest Growing Divorce Rate
Did you know that the fastest growing divorce rate is in the 50-60's age group?
As the Baby Boomers are starting to retire from full-time work, they are realising that they can have 20-30yrs or more, of active life ahead of them. They are starting to question, more than older generations - 'What is the glue that that is keeping this relationship together?'
Once full-time work is over & couples are spending more time together, they get more of a sense of feeling connected or disconnected in their relationship. Single people retiring can also be confronted with the question of whether they feel connected to others in their life, once they leave the people they knew in the workplace.
That is why I think that it is important to take the time all through our life, to make meaningful connections with others, to enrich our lives to the end.
I have now connected to Twitter and Facebook & look forward to your comments.
Eva Bennett
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