Crafting Connections: JB's Monday Momentum Week #3
Building Lasting Relationships
Estimated reading time: four minutes
Hello friends,
Today, our main focus is relationships. Who are we without deep connections with those we love and admire? To me, the heart of a good life lies in genuine relationships. Let’s dive into my thoughts.
If you missed last week’s edition, you can click here to check it out.
A Question I am Contemplating:
How do we cultivate genuine and loving relationships?
Going to an international school, students and teachers come from all around the world. It's likely that once we leave the country, we may never see the people we've spent these years with ever again. It's a sad reality, which is why I believe this question about relationships is so important. I recently had a discussion with some friends about this topic, and there were a few key points that I took away:
Seek low-maintenance relationships: Such relationships are not about spending leisure time with each other, but rather about having an easy-to-manage connection. In a low-maintenance relationship, there's trust, open talk, and respect. It lets both people pursue their interests and goals while still being there for each other when needed. Nothing feels forced in a low-maintenance relationship.
Ask specific questions: To maintain genuine relationships, skip asking surface-level questions such as "How was your day?" Instead, opt for questions that truly matter. It's not that you don’t care about this person’s day, but often, the response is limited; these exchanges do little to foster genuine and loving relationships. Specific questions allow you to learn more about the person and connect in ways that would not be possible with generic questions.
Admire but do not be jealous: Surround yourself and spend time with friends you look up to, creating an environment where mutual growth is encouraged. Engaging with individuals who inspire you not only creates an atmosphere of shared aspirations but also lays the foundation for meaningful connections built on respect. An authentic relationship involves both parties learning from each other and helping each other become the best version of themselves.
Quote on friendship:
“In the face of a true friend a man sees as it were a second self. So that where his friend is he is; if his friends be rich, he is not poor; though he be weak, his friend’s strength is his; and in his friend’s life he enjoys a second life after his own is finished.” — Cicero
Goal for the Week:
Win the morning
I have realized that there is nothing better than having a productive morning before starting the day. Waking up a little earlier than usual to work out, read, or simply have some alone time to reflect sets me up for success for the rest of the day. Unfortunately, sometimes I find myself "losing" the morning by staying in bed or rushing when I shouldn't be. This week, I will push myself to win the morning each day.
To ensure a successful morning, I have decided to follow these steps:
Go to bed earlier.
Prime my environment to make sure I have to get out of bed and start the day. For example, I will set my phone on my desk away from my bed so that I have to get up to turn off the alarm.
Ask myself, "How will my noon self feel if I don't get up?" I know that my future self will be proud if I get up and start the day, but would be disappointed if I stayed in bed and didn't start the day; make your future self proud!
What I’m Reading:
The Good Life Method — Meghan Sullivan and Paul Blaschko (64% done)
A Little Life — Hanya Yangihara (91% done)
What I finished Reading:
Small Things Like These — Claire Keegan
This is a short novel that you could probably finish in a couple of hours. It follows the life of an honest man in a small community who faces internal conflict about what the right thing to do is. There are themes of the complicity of silence and the courage to speak out, the power of compassion and empathy, and what makes something worth caring for. I give Small Things Like These 3.75/5 stars.
What I’m listening to (one podcast, one artist, one song):
John Mayer
California — Sons of The East
Thanks for reading! Don't forget to subscribe to stay updated for next week and feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
These are fantastic...#3 "admire but don't be jealous" is key to friendship. Let's always promise to celebrate our friends' successes - when you get here, you've reached that genuine stage in a relationship. Keep writing, James, it's working!