Activities to improve your relationships (part 3)

Expanding Relational Horizons

This last set of activities pushes us to step out of our relational comfort zone, to diversify our connections, and to delve deeper into the art of telling our own story.

Increasing the Diversity of Your Connections

We tend to surround ourselves with people who are like us.

While this is comfortable, it limits our growth and our perspective.

The challenge here is to actively seek out connection with people who are different from you: from different cultures, with different interests, with different points of view.

Start a conversation with a colleague from another department, join a group or club on a topic you're unfamiliar with.

This practice not only expands your world, but also strengthens your communication skills by forcing you to find common ground with people outside of your usual circle.

Developing Deep Curiosity

Curiosity is the engine of connection.

Practice being the more curious person in your interactions.

Don't settle for superficial answers.

When someone tells you something, dig deeper with open-ended, genuine questions.

"And how did that make you feel?" "What was most challenging about that experience?"

Genuine curiosity is a gift you give to the other person; It communicates that their story is important and that you are willing to take the time to understand it.

Smile More (Even at Strangers)

A smile is a universal act of openness and kindness.

It's a small gesture that can have a big impact.

The exercise consists of smiling more often, not only at those you know, but also at the people you pass in your daily life: the barista, the bus driver, a person walking their dog.

A genuine smile can brighten someone's day, and it also c