Let’s say you’re having one of those shabby old days when your mood’s in the gutter and you’re in the doldrums.If you’re feeling grim and can’t face the thought of a conversation of any kind? How can you possibly do the connecting thing at times like this? Here are five ideas:
- Opt for a more indirect channel of communication such as email or text messaging. You don’t have to say much, just a simple ‘How are you?’ can get the ball rolling.
- Send a friend, or someone you love, a greetings card by snail mail. Don’t, perhaps, pour out your troubles in it because you’ll hopefully be feeling different by the time they get it, the mail being what it is these days. Tell them you’re thinking about them. What’s important is that you’ll know you’ve made the connection.
- If you can’t bear even these, simply THINK about another person, visualising their face in your mind. There’s no way this can deliver as much benefit as a proper interaction, but simply thinking about someone who’s close to you can deliver some of the same physiological effects as actually being with them.
- Although it might sound odd, it’s possible that you’ll feel more connected if you listen to the radio, or watch TV – particularly when the programme is some kind of talk show. Broadcasters sometimes use the trick of imagining they’re talking to one person when they’re on air: see yourself as their singular audience, and talk back to them if you like. (My Gran used to.) That probably sounds even odder, but why not?
- If you’re out of the house, exchange pleasantries with those you come into contact with. Even simple things like saying thanks to someone who passes you the door handle after you follow them through, or saying hello to the bus driver, can help.You can’t beat proper connections of course, but don’t let that stop you on days when you really can’t stomach the deep and meaningful kind.
NOTE: This isn’t ours, but we liked it so much that we thought we would share it – It is from MoodScope.