#1. Building Strong Relationships

Background
A study was conducted (before coronavirus) where two groups of passengers were instructed to ride the subway. One group was told not to talk to anyone else, and to occupy themselves alone. The other group was told to reach out to a fellow passenger and try to strike up a conversation. If this person didn’t want to talk, that was fine–they just needed to make an effort. The second group was much happier than the first. Being forced to chat with people–with random strangers–actually brought up people’s moods. Surprisingly, this effect occurred for both introverts and extroverts, indicating we can all benefit from connection.

Applications
Because of the coronavirus, it may seem difficult to find people to connect with. However, we live in a time with many different technologies that alleviate this problem. So I recommend using those technologies to continue your existing relationships. Text, email, call, Zoom, whatever. As the study I mentioned showed, we humans thrive on connection.

Right Now
Pick someone–anyone–you haven’t connected with in a long time. Text them to say hello. You don’t have to talk for an hour, but at least try. You’ve taken a step towards making your relationships stronger.