I have had my Mont Blanc in hand a lot lately. Most of my work is in front of a computer with keyboard. I love the productivity increases and could not run my business any other way without easy cloud computing and keyboard.
Lately, I am finding joy in expressing gratitude and connecting with people with handwritten notes and gifts. It slows me down and something about the act of writing makes the experience pure. We are inundated with data every day. While it may be efficient, the web and mobile inputs are noisy places.
Thinking of people and expressing gratitude is something I believe is critical for living fully and moving towards success. People matter a great deal in our pursuits.
I want to make it personal. I want to connect. Here are some things I try and practice:
- Thank specifically. I try and articulate something concrete that I enjoyed experience with or about the person I am writing to. Getting specific makes it real. It makes me focus on what I truly appreciate.
- Show love. I do love people and I want to have that come across. We are on this great journey together in life. I want to give what I can of myself and part of that is letting them know that I care and am available to serve.
- Dream. I like rooting for my friends. Whether that means finding resources to help them, praying for them or encouraging them, I try and paint a picture of the future. Sometimes it is as simple as what our next venue or meeting might look like.
I am still working hard at the art of writing and speaking authentically with a personal touch.
We live in a busy, chaotic and fast-paced world. Slowing down and connecting on a human level has been refreshing. Try it for yourself.
How can you connect personally?