Hi Thrive community,
In the New York Times' Smarter Living newsletter this week, Wharton psychologist and author Adam Grant wrote about the power of reconnecting during this time — and how so many are using this pandemic as a way to rekindle relationships with old friends or professional ties that may have gotten lost. "Reconnecting doesn't have to be transactional… It can be a genuine effort to rekindle a friendship," he writes. "There's no better time than now to get in touch with the people you used to know."
This week, we invite you to write about an unexpected reconnection you've made during this time.
Here are some thought starters to consider:
- Have you used this time to restore an old friendship that faded over the years? Why did you decide to reach out now, and what did you learn from reconnecting?
- Have you found that reaching out to someone you don't always talk to has been easier in a time of crisis — whether you're calling family to make sure they're OK, or checking in on friends who live far away, or even a simple 'happy birthday' that sparked a deeper conversation?
- Did an upsetting job loss or financial stressor prompt you to reach out to someone in your professional network, like a past mentor or boss? How did that reconnection affect you?
- Are there any family members you've grown closer to? Was it because you were quarantined with them, or because you were physically apart?
- Did our emphasis on empathy and compassion help you get closer to someone in your life? Tell us about what it took to get closer: was one of you willing to be more open-minded or more accepting?
- Did a shared interest bring you together with someone you weren't especially close to before? Like an online community for parents to share homeschooling tips, or a group for a certain hobby?
- Did someone from your past surprise you by reaching out to you? Share that story.
As always, please tag your post with the "Weekly Prompt" tag, so we can better promote your stories! We look forward to learning from your responses.
Are you enjoying being a part of the Thrive Global community? Encourage your friends to join you by sending them our contributor guidelines!
Sign up for Arianna Huffington's Weekly Thoughts newsletter here for her take on the week's news stories, her favorite pieces on how we can thrive even in our stressful world, and some fun and inspiring extras.
Sign up for the Thrive Global newsletter here to get our favorite reads and actionable tips for enhancing your well-being, productivity, and sense of purpose delivered to your inbox.
