"To be able to get up in the morning with a purpose in your day, to go to bed with a clear conscience, to reach out to others in a caring way, to express kindness or meet a need, to be content with what you have, to have no regrets for how you acted, to speak in ways that do not injure, to look in your heart and find love, this is a life that wins.”

– Roy Lessin

Rule number one in genuinely connecting with people is learning to forget about yourself. Connecting is all about others. If you have self-interest or are self-consumed, you will never connect. However, through self-awareness, you can become a giving-type communicator.

One of the best ways to connect with others is to ask them to share their story with you. This brings conversation toward the person. Stories tell us who others are. People react positively when they believe someone is genuinely interested in them. To connect, people need to feel valued.

While working to enhance relationships, there are three feelings we can’t possess:

Fear. If we are afraid of people, we will not confront them.
Dislike. If we dislike people, we will not care.
Contempt. If we look down on people, we will not value them.

Choices that guide us to connect:

Availability. Listening. Questions. Thoughtfulness. Openness. Likability. Humility. Adaptability. Courteous. Respectful. Empathy. Self-Awareness.

Barriers to connecting:

Arrogance. Assumption. Indifference. Control. Talking. Negativity. Pride. Defensiveness. Selfishness. Insecurities. Attitude. Tone.

Guide yourself toward positive, healthy relationships. Step away from negative, unhealthy relationships. You can choose which relationships to move toward and which to avoid. Knowing how to maximize positive relationships and minimize the ones in your life is vital to living a happy, fulfilled, and satisfying life.

A clear picture of positive relationships will enable you to make those decisions. Positive relationships…

Encourage you to grow and succeed.
Value and appreciate who you authentically are.
Give you support during difficult times.
Increase your sense of peace and purpose in life.
Enable you to collaborate and work together.
Make you smile and energize your attitude.
Allow you to attract more positive relationships.
Create feelings of pleasure, joy, and fulfillment.

Intentionally Own It! Reflection:

What positive relationships do you need to move toward? Which negative ones do you need to move away from? How will these shifts add value to your life?

**It’s important that you Don’t Ignore Relational Tension (DIRT) within your life. If you choose not to face what isn’t working, know that the issue you’re failing to address will probably not go away, no matter how much it’s ignored. Choose to bravely lean toward it and own your attitude and tone as you do.

Happy Monday was designed by Alyssa Kreutzfeldt to intentionally shape your attitude, perspective, and tone for whatever lies ahead - inspiring you to intentionally own your impact and personal growth! Visit bar33leadership.com/happy-monday to get a weekly dose of messages and quotes that can help influence your attitude and perspective.

Happy Monday - May 2023