Lessons on Connecting


Connecting with other people requires deliberate effort and vulnerability, but is worth the sacrifice. Connecting with myself requires complete honesty and acceptance, as does connecting with my Creator. Connecting is often messy, disruptive and unpredictable, but the rewards are amazing. That is what I have discovered so far in this year’s theme of “connect”.

I realized that connecting takes effort on my part. Big surprise, huh?! It means when talking to people I need to be fully present in the moment and listening to them, and not thinking about the last food I ate. (Sidepoint: if I have a REALLY good meal, I tend to think about it for awhile after. Is that weird?!).  Listening and really connecting means asking questions about the other person and finding out what is happening in their life. It means offering insight and possibly relating a personal story. It means being open about my life too. This is a struggle for me but I am working on it!

I found out a few weeks ago I have some health issues. This really upset me since I have always considered myself to be healthy and active. I felt blindsided. My instinct was to keep it a secret and live in denial forever (sounds awesome), but I ended up sharing my struggles with family and a few trusted friends. The response has been overwhelmingly supportive. Everyone has been very understanding and offered support or additional ideas to help me. We are meant to live in community.

Connecting also means saying yes when invited to something as it gives you a chance to have fun and get to know other people! I tend to stick to my schedule and plan things far in advance, so changing my plans at the last minute when an invitation comes up can be challenging! I have made a rule to prioritize people over tasks and schedules (when possible!), and have learned to accept distractions. Detours are okay in life.

So far, the connecting theme has gone well. It has challenged me in ways I didn’t expect but I have also really loved the rewarding interactions. Excited to see what else I learn in 2016!

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