Envisioning Possibilities
Relationships
At the location on the Bagua board, relationships are personal, intimate, and passionate, my vision board I had a hole.
My 52-year-long relationship with a marvelous man died when he did. I discovered that having a husband who was also my best friend did not leave a space for many others and years of walking with Alzheimer’s scared many of our old friends away. What was there to talk about with a friend who no longer recognized you, let alone talk about a mutual topic? My world became smaller, limited to a great daughter and a mentally missing husband.
I needed to find friends, and still do. Here is a suggested list from AI on how to turn strangers into friends. It’s a good one. I am grateful.
Turning strangers into friends is like crafting a masterpiece, requiring patience, creativity, and genuine care. Here are some tried-and-true methods:
Initiate Conversation:
Break the ice with a warm smile and a friendly greeting. A simple “hello” can open the door to a meaningful connection.
Find Common Ground:
Look for shared interests, experiences, or even a mutual location. Bonding over something familiar creates an instant sense of camaraderie.
Listen Actively
Show genuine interest in the other person’s story. Listen attentively, ask follow-up questions, and validate their experiences.
Offer Help or Support
Extend a helping hand or offer support when needed. Kindness strengthens bonds and demonstrates your willingness to be a reliable friend.
Be Authentic
Be true to yourself and let your personality shine. Authenticity is magnetic and attracts like-minded souls.
Be Patient
Building meaningful connections takes time. Be patient and allow the friendship to unfold naturally.
From Fearful to Fearless:
Every confident speaker once shook in their shoes.
How to Answer “Tricky” Questions
When you stay calm, clarify with repetition, and bridge back to your core ideas, you guide the dialogue rather than chase it. The result? You come across as thoughtful, credible, and persuasive exactly the qualities clients and colleagues remember.
Unplug
Everything will work again if you unplug it including you. … Anne Lamotte This quote made me smile and think. No, I haven’t unplugged in quite a while. When am I going to unplug? The chatter of the monkey brain getting me again. Working hard, hard working,...
Affirmations
"Affirmations are one of the simplest and most powerful things we can do to change the quality of our lives, and to create the things we want.” Mark Allen From time to time, I am reminded to say this affirmation. It is a gift from Tony Robbins to all of us, “God’s...
Do not duplicate
“Stop acting like you live twice.” Gary Vaynerchuk “Life is not a dress rehearsal!” How many times have we heard both of those quotes? Sometimes fear gets in the way. Sometimes we say to ourselves: ”Let’s just try it a little.” Yoda says “Do or do not, there is no TRY...
Perspective
He who hunts for flowers will finds flowers; and he who loves weeds will find weeds. ~Henry Ward Beecher It is all about perspective. From Sesame Street. “ Where you put your eyes, that’s about the size of it”
Foundation
"A successful man/woman is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." – ...... -David Brinkley During a recent conversation with people in business group, we spoke about being tossed under the bus, getting the slings and arrows...
Lazy Artist
“No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist." – Anonymous Lazy artist? I keep thinking, I’m a lazy artist because it takes me atleast ½ hour plus to “settle down”. Translated that means, the monkey chattering in my brain supplies “other stuff” to think about....
These are promising ideas. I can only imagine what it must have been like to have a loved one and Alzheimer’s. Yet I agree — there is always someone we are yet to meet!