You might have noticed, I've harped on about Connection a lot lately in all of my newsletters and posts online.
My obsession with connecting isn't new, I've always liked getting straight to the heart of things. I’m the person who strikes up conversations with strangers and makes a new friend every time I get on a train.
So I wasn’t surprised to learn that a recent study has proven that exchanges with strangers can give such a boost to our moods that the effect lasts a FULL 24 hours.
Next time you’re feeling a bit blah, try going for a coffee and ask the Barista how they're doing. The happy hormones released will last until the next day. How magical is that?
We hardly need to be told this; we know how good it can feel to make eye-contact, to smile, to give or receive an act of kindness.
A few weeks ago, I was trying on a yellow dress in a shop in Rovinj. I got chatting to the owner of the shop and before I knew it we were laughing, swapping stories, and following each other on Instagram. I promised to meet her for a coffee in Zagreb next time I'm there - apparently I have to visit for the best Christmas markets in Europe.
I have no doubt that my energy, and hers, drew each other in. She was emanating kindness and enthusiasm for life, and sending it out into the world in buckets. When I bought the dress, she handed me the bag and said with intention, ‘Wear it with so much good luck,’ which is exactly what I've done.
We wished each other the best, from a place of genuine care.
All of this, from an interaction that took only a few minutes! But it brought us both laughter and joy.
Can you think of some of the strangers who touched your life, who you still hold space for in your heart?
I came back from that weekend in Croatia feeling high, as this was only one of many beautiful interactions that took place - I wrote about another one in a post you find here.
If you are interested to learn about how Connection features so heavily in my work, I suggest you have a look here. Working together will attract more of delicious connections into your life.
Another way that we can connect is via my Substack newsletter, where you can find many of my articles, you can sign up to receive my newsletter, and I also hold workshops for my subscribers.
This is a snippet of the post I mentioned on Instagram:
The other day I was sitting on the rocks by the sea when an elderly woman tapped me and asked me something in Croatian.
I didn’t understand, but then she turned around and I realised she was asking me to close her bikini.
She thanked me and went off to lie in the sun.
There’s nothing remarkable about this encounter, but it made me smile.
I hope that one day, I’ll be in my 80s, sunbathing on a rock, and a young woman will help me close my bikini clasp.
I live for these simple moments of connection and kindness.
Since I decided that connection would be the central focus of my work, these moments are showing up constantly in my everyday life. They fill me up with gratitude for others, and for the care and support women provide for each other.