Right now is a great time to search for friendly faces and kind voices.
This is Part 5 of a series on alternatives to making plans and beating yourself up–two things that become obstacles to getting unstuck. Be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
Why we need friendly faces and kind voices
A lot of us are struggling. It’s no wonder that it is hard to move forward.
Half of households report at least one person in the home has had serious problems with depression, anxiety, stress or sleep in recent months.
National Poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
During any difficult time…
- When we feel our moods are slipping, we are more likely to fall deeper into despair when there are fewer people around us to notice what is happening.
- When the people around you are also struggling, it is harder to reach out for help.
When the pandemic forced us to isolate ourselves and stay home, we had to figure out new ways to communicate with one another via Zoom meetings, FaceTime, etc.
But even before COVID-19, it wasn’t always easy to have a consistent set of friendly faces and kind voices in our lives every day. This was problematic then and more so now.
Smart and caring women are good at being good friends for others but sometimes we need to make the extra effort for ourselves. We need to regularly cultivate our existing friendships and seek out new relationships for ourselves.
How to find cultivate supportive relationships
Here are some easy ways to get started:
- Start with someone who has already been friendly to you. Invite her/him for coffee or a meal, a short walk, or maybe a chat on the phone.
- Let down your guard. This is neither a competition, nor a performance. There are no judges. Don’t evaluating. Just be
- Reveal a small scar. You don’t have to share all the blood and gore of an open wound. Just mention something you’ve been struggling with right now–something you believe she/he will relate to.
- Listen and smile when appropriate. Be a friendly face.
- Reassure ane/or express gratitiude. Be a kind voice.
And, if you’re in a position to bring people together, think about ways to incorporate more friendly faces and kind voices.
Let me know what you think and what you might try.
This is Part 5 of a series on alternatives to making plans and beating yourself up–two things that become obstacles to getting unstuck. Be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
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