Growing up, I had the kind of kids’ room you see in movies- a safety hazard with stuff everywhere. My parents tried to make it better- they cajoled, threatened or insisted, but only one thing worked: a family member who was feeling relaxed would come and sit in my room and read. (It was the 80’s, there was nothing else to do!) They read quietly, and I took great pleasure in cleaning my room with them there. It felt good. I knew what to do. I had company who wasn’t criticizing or helping me. They were just there.
Who knew this would literally become my job? For years, I have kept my clients company while they made hard calls, helped their ADD minds focus, and reminded them what they were doing or saying before their phone rang. There’s an art to silent or almost silent support-and it’s incredibly effective.
I’ve come up with fascinating neuropsychological explanations: mirror neurons, serotonin…oxytocin. And there’s an even simpler explanation: it’s just more fun.
Our world is desperate for connection, but everyone is so overwhelmed it’s hard to genuinely support others without it exacerbating our overwhelm. The goal of Joumor, clutter-free connection, is to change all that. Here are some simple ideas:
- Take care of your stuff first so you can relax and help someone else take care of hers.
- Create a partnership or group of accountability partners to support each other in achieving your goals.
- Talk in-person, on the phone, or on Skype while you work on your project.
- Ask for help, offer help.
We were never meant to be alone. Live Joumorously.