Learning how to get along with other people is one of the skills that will get you far in life. According to the National Institutes of Health “social connections can influence our biology and well-being.”
This classic book teaches important skills that can help you get along with just about anyone.
If you are currently experiencing depression or social anxiety, I get it. There have been weeks at a time I would send one of the kids into the store for me just so I didn’t have to see anyone. That’s okay, start from where you are. If all you can do is read this book for now, that is fine. We cycle through the steps over and over to make sure the habits become solid, and in the future you will go through the step and be ready to increase your social interactions.
Continued Habit:
- Beginner: You are already working on the habit of reading for 30 minutes per day. Add this book to the top of your reading list.
- Next Level: Practice these skills as you interact with people at work, at the store, even on Zoom, etc. If you do not have very many social interactions, you can increase your social opportunities. There are several ideas if you click on the “flip” button at the bottom of the “Make Connections” block on this National Institutes for Health site.
Journal: Are you still writing the list of people to focus loving attention on? Which people skill from How to Win Friends and Influence People do you feel like you need to work on the most? Record the results of a recent interaction that you feel went well.