Despite being connected 24/7 with others, post-modern life is replete with loneliness. Kira Asatryan says the antidote to loneliness is a matter of feeling connected, valued, and cared about. “Closeness means having direct access to another person’s inner world and knowing what constitutes their habits, beliefs, preferences, needs, and values . . . When somebody both understands that inner world and expresses interest and investment in it then it creates a feeling of closeness.” She cautions us that “the social-media-plus-mobile-phone combination is a little bit of a perfect storm because it feels like you’re carrying these people around with you all the time in your pocket and you could theoretically contact them about anything at any time. But from what I have heard from people is that they don’t really do that.” She goes on to give us examples of how we can cultivate closeness by asking open-ended and inviting questions, the kind that invite people to go deeper in revealing more about themselves. This conversation contains many practical suggestions on how to build fulfilling and deep connections to others in all areas of our lives.
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