Why We Need Reminders of Connectedness
How can we feel more connected to our loved ones, even when they're not around? Our guest tries a practice shown to make us feel less lonely and more socially connected.
\n\nLink to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/2h2h7ccn
\n\nEpisode summary:
\n\nM\xf3nica Guzm\xe1n describes herself as a raging extrovert, but she still feels less connected to others than she\u2019d like to. Working from home, she often finds herself alone, or worse \u2014 feeling alone because she\u2019s still in work mode when her family is around. She tried a Reminders of Connectedness practice by making subtle changes to the interior of her home \u2013 like decorating with more family photos and rearranging the living room\xa0 \u2013 and found that these seemingly small changes made a big difference in how she felt throughout her day.\xa0 We also hear from clinical psychologist Tegan Cruwys about the powerful influence our sense of connectedness can have on our mental health.
\n\nPractice: Reminders of Connectedness
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Look around your home, office, or classroom and notice what things around you remind you of being connected to others \u2013 words, photographs, memorabilia.
\nAs you move through your day, keep an eye out for things that evoke a feeling of connection. See where you can use them to add more reminders of connection to your space by adding them in or replacing existing objects.
\nFinally, consider how the furniture is arranged. Are chairs facing toward or away from each other? Find any changes you can make to common spaces so that they\u2019re more conducive to spontaneous interactions.
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Learn more about this practice at Greater Good In Action:
\n\nhttps://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/reminders_of_connectedness
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Today\u2019s guests:
\n\nM\xf3nica Guzm\xe1n is Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, a nonprofit working to depolarize America, founder and CEO of Reclaim Curiosity, an organization working to build a more curious world. She\u2019s also the author of I Never Thought Of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times.
\n\nYou can check out the book here: https://boook.link/I-Never-Thought-of-It-That-Way
\n\nVisit M\xf3nica\u2019s website:https://www.moniguzman.com/
\n\nFollow M\xf3nica on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniguzman/?hl=en
\n\nFollow M\xf3nica on Twitter: https://tinyurl.com/3k4pn4c4
\n\nFollow M\xf3nica on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/moniguzman
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Tegan Cruwys is a professor and clinical psychologist at Australian National University.
\n\nLearn more about Tegan and her work: https://tinyurl.com/ykepk5r4
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Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
\n\n11 Things to Do When You Feel Lonely: https://tinyurl.com/b8m86fhy
\n\nWhat the Longest Happiness Study Reveals About Finding Fulfillment: https://tinyurl.com/2s3b59fn
\n\nWhat Psychedelics Can Teach Us About Human Connection: https://tinyurl.com/5buyydw7
\n\nSkills You Need for Happier Relationships with Family: https://tinyurl.com/weeusepn
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More Resources
\n\nThe Atlantic - What Makes Us Happy: https://tinyurl.com/2nxpbhsd
\n\nNYT - I Love You But I Don\u2019t Want To Sleep With You: https://tinyurl.com/tjnxbdtt
\n\nScientific American - Why We Are Wired To Connect: \u200b\u200bhttps://tinyurl.com/59u4ffua
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Tell us about your experiences of connectedness. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
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