Which connections uplift you most?

I’m enjoying Johann Hari’s excellent book about depression, Lost Connections. It’s a compelling read. He wisely points at seven ways in which we may get disconnected, and looks at the ways in which these disconnections cause us distress and ill-health.

Here are the seven disconnections he reflects on:

1. Meaningful work

2. Other people

3. Meaningful values

4. Childhood trauma

5. Status and respect

6. The Natural World

7. A hopeful and secure future

This really gave me a stimulus to consider my own life, and how connected I feel to these different aspects of meaning. It also put me in mind of the year 2020 has been, and the challenges of staying connected to others, the disruption to working patterns, the differences to our access to nature and the outdoors, and the rampant uncertainty that the year has brought.

The more I sat with this, the more I noticed the impact of coronavirus has been really mixed, its inhibited a lot, and also opened up new perspectives, opportunities and ways of connecting.

I don’t know what your experience has been, but as the end of the year gets closer it may be a good time to take stock, and to reflect on the kinds of connections you want to create and sustain as we move into 2021. What is possible, and how can you find the most connection and joy in it?