Loving life and only just getting started! Living the dream! I couldn’t be better!
Those are common responses when people are asked “How are you?”
The ‘FaceBook facade’ is a strong lie people tell and it exists everywhere and, if you dig a little deeper, the cracks start to appear.
The reality, for most people, could be very different and what is going on beneath the surface is so much more than we, often, consider.
A week of mental health awareness is a good start to help us to begin to understand that when someone says “I’m great thanks” it might actually mean “I’m struggling, can you help?” So how do we know if there are issues and that people need extra support, before it gets out of hand? What are the signs to look for, and, because everyone is different, what do we mean by support?
A good place to start is to notice small changes in behaviour. Maybe slightly more withdrawn and quiet or agitated and impatient. Something out of character that, normally we notice, but don’t really do anything about! It’s easy to be too busy to get involved and ignore the small indicators but it can end with more pain if we leave things too long.
Being interested in other people and what’s going on for them is a great way to start creating stronger relationships. We then begin having more meaningful conversations, build trust and share concerns.
When was the last time you really listened to someone else and asked questions about them, without hijacking the conversation back onto you again? We all love to talk about ‘us’ and, as soon as we can, we focus the conversation on ‘us’ again – it’s human nature.
This week, have a go at asking questions and being interested in others. How much do you really know about the people around you?
I’m a great believer in technology, creativity and innovation, even AI – but you will never beat the power of a caring, supportive human being!