Connection in a disconnected world

I moved to the UK over 13 years ago and I’ve started my life from scratch many times, changed country, career, family and I know how hard it can be to start again. I learnt that having a strong network of support, friends and family around you can make a big difference to your life.

Since 2018 I’ve been working with women to help them stay connected no matter where they are in the world. Women who, like me, have moved to another country or have a nomadic lifestyle and want to feel a sense of belonging.

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

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When the pandemic hit I noticed how the challenge of keeping connections alive was not unique to migrants anymore but was shared across the globe. We have been  told to keep away from one another as much as possible and not to travel so, living in a different part of town might as well be a different country.

So I've decided to run a workshop to support us re-connect with one another. Curious? Read here ​

Migrants are simply more familiar with the struggle of nurturing long distance relationships.

I also noticed how over this past year there has been an increase in isolation, reduced social interaction and increased human-to-machine interactions and how this has created a wall between many people. ​

Connection is an essential human needs.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

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Never before, as a human species, have we been so physically separated and yet so connected digitally at the same time.

​Our world has shrunk both spatially and socially and we long for closeness, so we turn to digital platforms to remedy that separation. For some they have no choice but to communicate entirely through their laptop or device.

We can communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world so why is it making us feel lonely?

While it’s true that technology has made communication easier, more instant and varied; it can also be a little soulless and tiring. Studies have shown that video calling your family or video conferencing your colleagues can be draining and hard to sustain. ​

The experience of seeing friends and family over Zoom can leave you empty and sharpen the ache we feel for them. There they are on the screen; we can watch them laugh, take a sip of water, roll their eyes. It’s almost as if we’re with them; for a second or two, it’s possible to forget we’re not, until something inevitably shatters the illusion.

Most of us want and need that connection with another human but we’re feeling fatigued with it all. The situation we’re all in means that we have lots of emotions to share but nothing much to talk about. 
You end up giving each other updates on how your respective countries are managing going in or out lockdown. Or you might make an effort to find small things to be grateful for when actually all you’d like to talk about is how much you miss them and love them and make plans for the future.

How many people have you spoken to this month?

Beside work, how many people have you kept in touch with?  It’s very hard to maintain all our social connections when there aren’t actual opportunities to meet people. We don’t meet friends at gigs, nor acquaintances outside school or at a conference break. 
We are managing to stay connected with those close to our heart, best friends or family however, most people will have simply dropped off our radars. 
For some of us, perhaps more introverted, this year has been a good opportunity to prune those friendships that didn’t work. 
For the more extroverted though it has been a very tough year and even when we have made the conscious effort to reach out to others, it will feel like most people have drifted away.

Our social circle has shrunk and yet this does not mean that all is lost.

While video call fatigue is real, the good news is that there are other ways to maintain bonds. It’s not about giving each other a long summary of your life, which might be something you want to do or not. There are other ways to share your life with someone one you can not meet with.

Photo by Mohamed Lammah on Unsplash

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What can you do

You can bring a little consciousness and attention to the people in our life and re-new your bond with them.

You can use a multitude of ways of connecting ranging from the more introspective to the more creative and self-expressive.

What you will choose will very much depend on what you and the other person enjoy doing the most. There is no one solution that fits all. 

You might want to think about what is your preferred communication  style, do you like to write or talk? What is your favourite type of Art - music or fine arts?  Are you a kinaesthetic or auditory learner? How much time do you have in your week? 

We’ll explore this and much more at my Connection Beyond Borders workshop. If you'd like to discover how to bring warmth and joy back into your life  come abroad and we’ll compose your unique roadmap.

Connection Beyond Borders FREE workshop: 14th and 18th March 7pm

​Reserve your place now at the link below 

Connection Beyond Borders