Thanks for signing up to all the new readers! Here are some nuggets about how networks shape your wellbeing, relationships and community to help you actively cultivate yours.
Wellbeing
Dr. Vivek Murthy, a former U.S. Surgeon General, recently released a book called Together. In it, he talks about Robert Weiss’ foundational research around loneliness and the 3 types of loneliness that were most important to distinguish:
Emotional loneliness: “refers to the perceived presence/absence of someone in your life who serves as a nurturing confidant, someone who affirms your existence”
Social loneliness: “refers to the perceived presence/absence of quality friendships or family connections”
Collective loneliness: “refers to the perceived presence/absence of a meaningful connection with a group or social entity beyond the level of individuals”
Interesting how they directly map to the sections of this newsletter! You can read an interview with Dr. Murthy here.
Relationships
Have you considered holding “office hours”? Noah Askin and I talked about his experiment in a podcast this summer, which you can listen to here. He has shared his valuable reflections in this recent Harvard Inspiring Minds article: Staying Connected Through a Pandemic—15 Minutes at a Time.
“at least 40 percent of these conversations have been with people I have never spoken with before, many of whom I was not even directly connected to on LinkedIn…the reach of my LinkedIn post meant that I have had conversations with people from Chile and Australia to Philadelphia and rural India, and many places in between. I have spoken with college undergraduates curious about pursuing a PhD and with people on the verge of retirement wanting to know how to leverage their personal networks to find meaning after leaving the workforce.”
Community
Unlocking Networks has a helpful collection of case studies focused on the various ways that networks show up in service of activism, collective action, and peer support. They also have a toolkit with a canvas, themes and conversation prompts to help facilitate a discussion around the role of networks within a community.
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About The Reliants Project
Reliant is my word for a person that someone depends on, an essential component of our social networks. With each edition, I’ll share useful nuggets about how networks shape your wellbeing, relationships and community to help you actively cultivate yours. Whether you want to cultivate your relationships, make better introductions, or activate networks to make an impact in the world, let me help you reach your goals.
You can find more about The Reliants Project here.