Sometimes i often feel (and hear from others in therapy) disconnected from friends, family and the world. I have found a small way to feel someone connected to the world and feel like i mean something in the world. I have realised i can make my own connections with strangers sometimes when i feel disconnected from close ones. When i am having one of these bad days for example if i am taking a taxi that day, i will strike up a conversation with the taxi driver, and sometimes they are quite chatty hahah. My taxi drive may only be ten minutes but by being friendly and listenning to the taxi driver and asking him questions about himself usually puts them in a fun mood and they start openning up and it becomes a pleasant drive, sometimes they will not talk about anything really important but they are smiling away because someone is listenning, and sometimes you learn things from the person if you really listen. I get out of the cab and usually feel a bit better since i connected with someone or made them smile.
If i go to the super market and the cashier is not in a good mood, instead of getting mad i will say a comment like "long day, i see you guys are busy" and 99% of the time their mood switches right away to a better mood, then they are nice to the person behind you, and that person smiles at someone else... i like that a lot! It's kind of my way of spreading joy and making my world and what am surrounded with a happy place.
Once i went to the dollar store and there was a line up and the guy in front of me was counting his pennies and was missing something like 2$ so i just gave it to him, he was sooooooooo happy, then the cashier and people behind me were all smiling and it changed the mood around me. Just to say that it can be a choice to be surrounded by happiness....i could chose to get angry at the cashier not in a good mood, or from waiting in line, or thinking what a chatty annoying cab driver, but instead since i am stuck in that situation in the present moment, and will always be at some point in some situations like these i prefer to make them a happy experience.
Its also very suprising how if you are open to talk to someone on the bus or i even chat with homeless people sometimes, and its incredible what you can learn from them sometimes. One just has to really listen.
Try it today, smile at a stranger. Be kind to someone that is in a bad mood and change the situation around. Engage in the discussion with the old man sitting next to you on the bus...you just might be suprised at how happier it can make your day and make you feel connected to the world in these small little ways :o)
i also wanted to add, this also helps when one is at home and anxious, get out there go for a walk and talk to people, it gets you out of your bubble even if its just a half hour walk :o)
ReplyDelete