Can you name the last five prime ministers of India?
Can you name the first three people to captain the Indian cricket team?

Those questions had you thinking a bit, didn’t they? If you got them right, congratulations! And if you couldn’t recall the answers, never mind. You’ll have another chance. Now.

Can you name five people who have supported you in some way?
Can you name three people who have inspired you in some way?

Was that easier? Why?

There may be a lot of answers. The most common response to this question is that we tend to remember those people that we share a personal connection with.

Take a moment to do a small exercise. Rate your present happiness level on a scale of 0 to 10 where 10 means that you are feeling most happy.

Now think of a person with whom you share a close connection either now or in the past. Think of a moment wherein you connected with that person deeply. Stay with the moment for 10 seconds. Make a note of your happiness level.

Now think of a person close to you, with whom you are currently feeling disconnected. Stay with the feeling of separation from this person for 10 seconds. Make a note of your happiness level.

What was the difference? If you are like most people, you would have noticed that you felt considerably lighter, happier and energetic when you were thinking of close connection. You might have experienced loneliness, sadness, anger and other such feelings when you were thinking of disconnection.

Feeling connected is a vital ingredient of happiness.

How connected are you feeling right now with those that matter?  Are you part of the dangerous trend of relationships where people play empty roles, struggling with fragile emotions and ruptured expectations? Of people living together, alone and disconnected?

Connection is the life-blood of relationships. It is the moments we take to look into each other’s eyes, share our stories, laugh together, or shed tears in another’s embrace that we give energy to our connections. These connections give us strength and support, courage and confidence, love and companionship, and contribute towards a joyful and fulfilled life.

Often what holds us back from connecting is a feeling of being ‘out of time’. Yet one moment of connection is sometimes all it takes to breathe life into a relationship.

We never have the energy to connect after a long day of work. Yet our relationships have the power to re-energise us.

Break out of this vicious cycle. After you finish reading these last few lines reach out to a loved one. Take a moment to connect!

Wishing you Lightness