How To Connect Even When You Are Apart
I was on a call yesterday with a client who asked, “How do we stay connected and show we care even when we can’t give hugs or grab a coffee?”
Since I have been doing deep, emotionally connected work online, as well as maintaining long-distance relationships with family and friends for a long time, I thought I would share some of my favorite ways to stay connected during this time of social distancing.
Here are a few tips for virtual connecting:
Invite people to video chat. Use video chat in lieu of audio calls whenever possible, as many of our social cues come from body language. Thus, even when we are apart, being able to see each other helps us feel like we are together.
Share your surroundings when chatting. Give a virtual tour, turn the camera around and let the other person see your family (with permission), your space, or anything else you want to share. It’s like a mini show-and-tell. This really helps us feel like we’re actually together.
Don’t let the way you look or the tidiness of your space get in the way of you connecting. People love seeing the ‘real’ you.
Give yourself the hug you need. Here’s how I do it with clients: after someone shares, I say something like, “I wish I could give you a hug right now.” I ask if they would be open to a virtual hug. If the answer is yes, I direct them to take their hands and wrap them across their chest on opposite arms and give themselves a squeeze. I share that I will do the same, and then with our eyes closed, we envision giving each other a hug. *This can be adapted for your personal relationships too!
Hug your computer screen. This one is a bit silly and almost always gets a laugh. Yet, I have also received feedback from clients and friends that they really felt my love at that moment.
Show your love through your body language. What this can look like is putting your hands on your heart or giving an air-high-five. These are visible ways to say, “I feel you,” or “you are awesome.”
Words of affirmation are golden. The beauty of words of affirmation is that they work in person or virtually. Saying things you love about someone else or what you are grateful for can be another way to connect during this tender time.
Take deep breaths together. Do you know how yawning can be contagious? Well, breathing together can help us feel connected even when we are far apart.
Use a group video platform to play games, eat dinner, have a drink, or even watch a movie. Even if it seems silly, sometimes being silly feels good.
Use things like Marco Polo, Voxer, Facebook Chats, WhatsApp, or just plain text to share photos, videos, funny memes, or just loving words to let people know you are thinking of them.
One of the gifts of an otherwise uncertain, confusing time is that we are being invited to slow down, be authentic, and connect in creative ways. So, be safe and healthy, and let’s use this time of physical distance as an opportunity to reach out to the people you love virtually (even if it feels weird;).
If you want more tips on how to navigate change and challenge with ease, visit www.laurajack.com.
Interested in learning more? Watch my webinar, Compassionate Communication 101, here.