54. Get closer faster. Invest INTENTIONAL time in your relationships

Getting to know someone and become friends doesn't have to take as long as you might think …IF you're intentional about HOW you spend time together.

friendship, connection, relationship-buildingJessica GiffordSeptember 12, 2022Comment

53. Lengthen your fuse: incivility destroys connection.

Rudeness and incivility destroy employee connection, productivity, and engagement. It pays to learn how to lengthen your fuse at work and at home

relationships, employee connection, communication skillsJessica GiffordSeptember 5, 2022employee connectionComment

52. Use responsive facial expressions. What I learned about connection from my WORST job interview.

If you’ve ever spoken to someone who was expressionless, you know how disconcerting it can be. Try it! Talk to someone and ask them to keep a completely neutral expression. Facial expressions give us feedback that’s vital to connection.

connection, relationship-building, friendshipJessica GiffordAugust 22, 2022body language, nonverbalsComment

51. Learn to read body language ... and avoid being unknowingly annoying

Connection is about getting in sync with another person … which means learning to pick up on nonverbal cues.

relationships, friendship, connectionJessica GiffordAugust 15, 2022body language, communicationComment

50. Recognize progress. It strengthens employee connection.

It feels good to make progress on something important to you, and it feels even better when other people recognize that progress.

49. Three reasons to have more fun

Fun acts like social glue … so why is it so hard to prioritize?

friendship, connection, relationshipsJessica GiffordJuly 25, 2022funComment

48. De-stigmatize loneliness. If you're lonely, you're not alone.

The stigma and silence surrounding loneliness only makes us lonelier. If you’re lonely, you’re not alone.

connection, belonging, lonelinessJessica GiffordJuly 18, 2022 Comment

47. Connect with nature

Connecting with nature is something we can do on our own. And experiences of awe--often inspired by nature--increase feelings of connectedness to others and to humanity more broadly.

connection, mental health, wellnessJessica GiffordJuly 11, 2022aweComment

46. The impacts of feeling unwanted and Roe vs. Wade

Heads up – today’s post explores opinions related to Roe vs. Wade and the impact this decision has on connection and mental health.

friendship, connection, belongingJessica GiffordJuly 4, 2022 Comment

45. Match in-person social time with online time. (Your smartphone may be making you lonelier).

Is spending so much time online eroding our in-person social skills? Connecting with people IRL has huge physical and mental health benefits.

connection, friendship, lonelinessJessica GiffordJune 27, 2022social mediaComment

44. Make a memory

If you feel like the days are going by in a blur with little to set them apart, try making a memory with a friend to break out of the routine and bring you closer.

connection, friendship, relationship-buildingJessica GiffordJune 20, 2022Comment

43. Three Reasons to Accept Compliments

Practicing receiving compliments (gracefully) can change the way we see ourselves, help build confidence, and strengthen connection between you and the compliment-giver.

connection, relationship-building, friendshipJessica GiffordJune 13, 2022 Comments

42. Practice Generosity

Most of us think that spending money on ourselves will make us happy, but the research shows that spending money on other people—or engaging in other acts of generosity—gives us a bigger boost in happiness.

connection, friendshipJessica GiffordJune 6, 2022generosityComment

41. Engage in Social Action. It's an antidote for hopelessness

With so many terrible things in the news, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and pessimistic about the state of the world. Engaging in social action—even micro-action—can help.

connection, mental health, resilienceJessica GiffordMay 30, 2022Comment

40. Set up "automatic recurring connections" and relieve loneliness

Making friends, and having real connection in our lives, has gotten hard. It takes work. If we want to reduce loneliness, we need to make connection easier.

connection, friendship, relationship-buildingJessica GiffordMay 23, 2022 Comments

39. Psychological safety: the precondition for connection

Google discovered the secret ingredient that sets high-performing teams apart … psychological safety. This post describes how to build it in teams and relationships.

connection, belonging, productivityJessica GiffordMay 16, 2022 Comments

38. Brush up on your social intelligence skills

People with high social intelligence have stronger relationships, better mental and physical health, are more likely to be promoted at work, and have greater life satisfaction. Here’s how to hone your SI skills.

connection, relationship-building, relationshipsJessica GiffordMay 10, 2022Comment

37. Apologize well (and avoid these common mistakes)

Apologies can make a relationships stronger, or destroy them. This post explores the good, bad, and ugly when it come to apologies.

36. Implement Check-ins

Mutual sharing increases liking and closeness … and this simple exercise helps people share easily.

35. Make conscious choices about your social media use. It may be making you lonely, depressed and anxious.

Even though we KNOW that social media posts are curated, we still make ourselves miserable by comparing our insides to other people’s outsides.

loneliness, mental health, connectionJessica GiffordApril 18, 2022social media, comparisonComment

111+ Ways to Make Friends as an Adult

This blog is a collection of small action steps—based on science—to help you improve the quality of your friendships.

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