How To Deal With Anger At Work

๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต’๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ข๐˜ญ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ?

When people got angry at or around me, I used to feel very uncomfortable.

Today, I practice a different response: ๐—ฐ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ผ๐˜€๐—ถ๐˜๐˜†.

Anger can feel like an attack, but itโ€™s rarely random.
In fact, anger often has a clear purposeโ€”conscious or not.

People get angry because theyโ€™re trying to achieve something.

โ€ข Maybe they want you to stop doing something.
โ€ข Maybe theyโ€™re trying to control the situation.
โ€ข Maybe theyโ€™re protecting their ego, their reputation, or something they deeply care about.

Hereโ€™s the proof that anger is goal-driven and not just uncontrollable emotion:

โ–ช๏ธ ๐—œ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€-๐—น๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—ธ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ต๐—ผ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ฏ๐˜‚๐—บ๐—ฝ๐˜€ ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—น๐—น ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ฐ๐—ต.
Does the person yell at them? Noโ€”because their goal in that moment is safety, not confrontation.

โ–ช๏ธ ๐—ก๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ธ ๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐—ฎ ๐—บ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ฝ๐˜€ ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ณ๐˜‚๐—น ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ.
Do most people explode with anger? Noโ€”because their goal is likely to maintain their job and reputation, even if they disagree.

If anger were uncontrollable, people would snap in these situations too. But they donโ€™t.
๐—”๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฐ๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜ ๐˜„๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ป ๐˜„๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ธ ๐—ถ๐˜ ๐˜„๐—ถ๐—น๐—น ๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ฝ ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ต๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐—ฎ ๐˜€๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ณ๐—ถ๐—ฐ ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ฎ๐—น.

The next time a colleague gets angry at you, take a breath.

Instead of snapping back, ask yourself:
๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜โ€™๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ผ๐—ณ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ฟ ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ๐—ฟ?

Are they trying to feel heard? Are they trying to protect something?

This shift from defensiveness to curiosity helps you take control of the situation.

๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ต ๐˜€๐˜‚๐—ฝ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐˜๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ถ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ผ๐—ผ: curiosity has been shown to deactivate the threat response in our brain, allowing us to engage more calmly and constructively in conflict. Itโ€™s also linked to higher emotional intelligence, better relationships, and more effective conflict resolution.

This doesnโ€™t mean tolerating bad behaviorโ€”boundaries are still crucial.
But when you see anger as a sign of unmet needs rather than a personal attack, you stop reacting and start responding thoughtfully.

So next time someone gets angry, pause and ask:

๐—ช๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜โ€™๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ถ๐—ฟ ๐—ด๐—ผ๐—ฎ๐—น?

Youโ€™ll be surprised how much clarityโ€”and calmโ€”you gain.

Other People’s Opinion of You… Theirs or Yours?

You know that team member that thinks you lack the experience?

Or the colleague that thinks your meeting contributions donโ€™t add value?

It stings, doesnโ€™t it?

Now, consider this..

Deep down, thereโ€™s a good chance you believe these things about yourself              .

We often project our own hidden insecurities onto others.
We assume they see the worst in us because we do.
And when someoneโ€™s behavior even faintly matches our fear, it feels like confirmation.

For example:
Imagine someone who secretly believes theyโ€™re unworthy of love.
They might think others dislike them, avoid them, or find them boring.
To compensate, they become people pleasersโ€”saying yes to everything, constantly seeking approval.

And when someone cancels plans or rejects their offer to help?
It cuts deep.
Not because of the action itself, but because it echoes that hidden belief:
Iโ€™m not worthy.

Now, think about this:
If someone insulted your blue hair but you didnโ€™t have blue hair, you couldnโ€™t care less.
It wouldnโ€™t resonate.
But when a comment mirrors your own fears? It hurts.

So, how can we break this cycle?

The next time you think, โ€œThey must believe this about me,โ€ pause.
Ask yourself: Could this be something I believe about myself?

Instead of being upset with them, turn inward.

Reflect:

  • Do I truly believe this about myself?
  • Can I be absolutely sure itโ€™s true?
  • If not -is this belief helping me?

If it isnโ€™t, start building a new beliefโ€”one rooted in kindness and compassion towards yourself.

This shift wonโ€™t happen overnight.
But with patience, you can rewrite the narrative.

And the world will start reflecting the version of you that you choose to believe in.

โค๏ธ

๐—Ÿ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด > ๐—–๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ด๐—ฒ – a Formula For Success

Learning > Change

This is a formula for success.

Your ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ, the rate at which you adopt and expand your skills as leader, needs to exceed the rate at which your environment ๐˜ค๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด.

If not, you’ll fall behind and others will pass you by.

Has your learning kept up? Are you consistently making time for personal and professional development?

Prioritizing your full inbox, however inevitable and important it might feel, is short-term thinking. And it will never get empty.

As leaders, we face bigger expectations, more complex challenges, and higher stakes.

So how do you ensure your growth stays ahead of the curve? Here are three steps:

1๏ธโƒฃ Reflect Regularly
Block out time each week to review whatโ€™s working, whatโ€™s not, and what you can learn from it all.

2๏ธโƒฃ Seek Feedback
Blind spots grow in the dark. Ask for candid input oftenโ€”donโ€™t wait for formal reviews.
๐˜ˆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ ๐˜๐˜‰๐˜™ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ฅ๐˜บ ๐˜ด๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ๐˜ด: 95% ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฌ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ง-๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ. ๐˜–๐˜ฏ๐˜ญ๐˜บ 10-15% ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ.

3๏ธโƒฃ Invest in Yourself
Read, take courses, or get help. Your development isnโ€™t a โ€œnice-to-haveโ€ but a โ€œmust-have.โ€

Change is inevitable. Falling behind doesnโ€™t have to be.

How has your learning kept pace with your changing role over the past year?

How to Have Real Conversations & Connect With People

Person A: “I, I, I, me, me, me.”
Person B: “Fascinating! Because I, I, I, me, me, me.”
Person A: “That’s so true, reminds me of… I, I, I, me, me, me.”

This is how most ‘conversations’ go: two people taking turns talking about themselves.

Itโ€™s not surprising. Weโ€™re wired to think about ourselves most of the time.

But when all we do is talk about ourselves, we miss out on something important.

We donโ€™t learn anything new.
We donโ€™t grow.
We donโ€™t build real connections.

๐Ÿ’ก ๐——๐—ผ๐—ปโ€™๐˜ ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—” ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—•. ๐—•๐—ฒ ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ธ๐—ฒ ๐—ฃ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ป ๐—–.

Person C makes conversations meaningful.

If someone brings up a topic, they ask questions like:

“What does that mean to you?”
“How did you get into that?”
“What do you like most about it?”

Person C doesnโ€™t just talkโ€”they listen and learn.

This doesnโ€™t mean you should never talk about yourself. Conversations are a two-way street. But when you go into a conversation with curiosity and a desire to learn, amazing things happen:

๐ŸŒŸ You learn new things.
๐Ÿ‘€ You see the world in new ways.
โค๏ธ You build stronger relationships.
๐Ÿค People feel heard and valued.

Next time youโ€™re in a conversation, pause and ask yourself:

๐—”๐—บ ๐—œ ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ผ ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐—น๐˜†, ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ฎ๐—บ ๐—œ ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑ?

This small change can make a big difference.

As a Leader, Do You Always Need to Have the Answer?

Youโ€™re not a search engine.

But as a new leader, it can feel like you have to be one.

Your team asks questions. Pings you on Teams. Calls. Emails. And the instinct? Respond. Immediately. Every single time.

The problem? Constant interruptions chip away at your ability to focus, and focus is what you need most as a leader.

Itโ€™s what allows you to steer the ship, plan strategically, and make thoughtful decisions for your teamโ€™s success.

When you spend your days responding to every ping and notification, you lose the time and energy for the deep thinking that drives real progress.

What can you do?

โ€ข ๐—˜๐˜€๐˜๐—ฎ๐—ฏ๐—น๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ต ๐—ฏ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ฒ๐˜€: Set a daily hour of uninterrupted focus for you and your team.
โ€ข ๐—˜๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€: Encourage your team to solve what they can without you, building their confidence along the way.
โ€ข ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—น๐—ฒ: Leadership is about guiding the team toward long-term success, not managing every moment.

Start protecting your focus.

Itโ€™s the key to being the leader your team needs.

What if your manager or client gives you more work than you can handle?

What do you do when your manager or client asks you to take on more workโ€”when your schedule is already packed?

Most of us have two typical responses:

Say ๐˜†๐—ฒ๐˜€, and brace yourself for even more ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด.
Say ๐—ป๐—ผ, and worry about coming across as ๐˜ถ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ฑ๐˜ง๐˜ถ๐˜ญ.

But thereโ€™s a better wayโ€”a skill borrowed from improv that can change everything.

Imagine this: Youโ€™re in a meeting, and your manager suddenly asks you to โ€œtake chargeโ€ of an urgent project. Your calendar is already full, but saying no feels risky.

Or picture this: A client asks for extra work, and the deadline is tight. Saying yes means youโ€™ll struggle to keep up with everything else, yet saying no might feel like letting them down.

This is where โ€œ๐—ฌ๐—ฒ๐˜€, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑโ€ฆโ€ comes in.

The phrase โ€œYes, andโ€ฆโ€ comes from improv theater. Instead of rejecting an idea, performers use it to build on each otherโ€™s thoughts, creating a sense of flow.

In a work setting, it works much the same way. Hereโ€™s how it sounds in practice:

โ€œ๐˜ ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜โ€™๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜บ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ด๐˜ถ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด, ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜โ€™๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜จ๐˜ถ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ค๐˜ฉ ๐˜ค๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ฑ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ข๐˜ฅ๐˜ซ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฌ.โ€

With โ€œ๐—ฌ๐—ฒ๐˜€, ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐—ฑโ€ฆโ€, you keep your response open and positive while setting clear boundaries. It helps you stay engaged without overcommitting.

The magic of โ€œYes, andโ€ฆโ€ is that it also:

โ€ข Shows youโ€™re willing to collaborate
โ€ข Acknowledges that your time and energy are limited
โ€ข Puts the choice back in their hands, giving them a sense of control

Next time someone asks you to do more than you can handle, try these two simple words.

Let me know how it goes ๐Ÿ™‚

Starting Leaders – Don’t Fall For the Power Paradox.

Have you ever watched a colleague get promoted to team lead, only to see them change?

They start off grounded, empathetic, and fair. Then, slowly, that openness starts to fade. They seem less interested in feedback. More impulsive. And the empathy? Itโ€™s like it vanished.

Sound familiar? This change isnโ€™t uniqueโ€”itโ€™s a trap nearly every leader risks falling into.

This is the ๐—ฃ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—ฃ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฑ๐—ผ๐˜…, a term coined by psychologist Dacher Keltner.

And now it gets interest: it doesnโ€™t just impact โ€œother leaders.โ€ ๐™๐™๐™ž๐™จ ๐™˜๐™ค๐™ช๐™ก๐™™ ๐™—๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช, ๐™ฉ๐™ค๐™ค.

The Power Paradox concept explains how, as leaders gain power, they often lose the very qualities that like respect and trust that led them to power. Keltnerโ€™s research shows that power affects the brain, triggering dopamine and sparking a โ€œhighโ€ that can become addictive.

While it feels great, it also blunts social awareness, turning focus inward and making self-serving decisions feel โ€œright.โ€

If youโ€™re a leader, donโ€™t assume youโ€™re immuneโ€” ๐˜ข๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด is the key to avoiding this trap.

๐—›๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฒโ€™๐˜€ ๐—ต๐—ผ๐˜„ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ด๐˜‚๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—น๐—ณ ๐—ฎ๐—ด๐—ฎ๐—ถ๐—ป๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ถ๐˜:

  1. ๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ฐ๐—ฒ ๐—˜๐—บ๐—ฝ๐—ฎ๐˜๐—ต๐˜† ๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ด๐˜‚๐—น๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—น๐˜†: Empathy fades fast with power. Keep listening, and make a habit of asking your team what they really need. Adopt a regular โ€˜Loving/Kindnessโ€™ meditation practice to increase empathy.
  2. ๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ ๐—›๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜€๐˜ ๐—™๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ๐—ฏ๐—ฎ๐—ฐ๐—ธ: Power can make people reluctant to be honest. Show your team that you genuinely value their insights, not just their agreement.
  3. ๐—ฆ๐˜๐—ฎ๐˜† ๐—š๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฑ๐—ฒ๐—ฑ: Real leadership is about serving others. Focus on the teamโ€™s success and growth, not just your own.
  4. ๐—ฃ๐—ฎ๐˜‚๐˜€๐—ฒ ๐—•๐—ฒ๐—ณ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—”๐—ฐ๐˜๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด Power drives impulsive decisions. Before you make a call, take a breath. Ask yourself: who does this really serve?

The Power Paradox is real, and it can sneak up on anyone. Stay aware, and protect the qualities that make you a true leader.

๐—ฅ๐—ฒ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฟ ๐—น๐—ถ๐—ณ๐˜๐˜€ ๐—ผ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐˜€ ๐˜‚๐—ฝ. โฌ†

Progress, not Perfectionism

Dear fellow-perfectionists: itโ€™s not a strength, itโ€™s a way of seeking approval.

In job interviews, people often humblebrag about their biggest weakness being perfectionism. It sounds like a hidden strength, doesn’t it?

Only, itโ€™s not.

We tell ourselves, “I care a lot about my work. When I do something, I want it done right!โ€.

But deep down, there is small voice saying, “If I don’t do everything perfectly, people won’t value me. I feel like my worth depends on how flawless my work is. I’m scared of making mistakesโ€”what if they stop respecting or liking me?”.

It’s great to work hard and aim for high quality. Those are good things.

But when perfectionism takes over, it can lead to stress, anxiety and burnout. Research shows that perfectionism can actually make it harder to reach our goals.

As leaders, we might notice team members who push themselves too hard, striving for impossible standards. At first glance, we might think, “Great! This person delivers quality.” But in the long run, it’s not good for them or the team because it’s not sustainable.

We can help by encouraging them to focus on progress, not perfection, and by reminding them that mistakes are part of learning.

So, how to find the line between doing good work and falling into perfectionism?

  • Set high goals without making them impossible or taking over our lives.
  • Focus on making progress instead of being perfect.
  • Ask yourself, “Is what I’m doing really making my work better, or am I stuck on tiny details that don’t add much value?โ€.

As Tony Robbins says, โ€œperfectionism is the lowest possible standard โ€“ because itโ€™s impossible to attainโ€.

Mistakes are part of learning. They’re not signs that you’re not good enough but chances to grow and improve.

How to Deal With Fear

Why Does “The Cave You Fear Hold the Treasure You Seek”?

I recently discovered this quote by Joseph Campbell in one of Brenรฉ Brownโ€™s inspiring books: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.

While reading it, I felt a strong โ€˜YESโ€™! Because it captures how I’ve been trying to live the past few years.

For much of my life, I was quite shy, insecure, introverted. I felt trapped in an invisible cage of my own making. My dark cave contained many thingsโ€”speaking up in groups, starting conversations with strangers, facing rejection, saying no to social invitations, or choosing work that aligned with my dreams, to name a few. Actually, mine was more of a giant storage hall than a cave.

Then, one day, after a profound personal experience, I began to see fear for what it isโ€”just a feeling, like any other. Nothing more.

Fear has its place; without it, we wouldn’t survive. But thereโ€™s a difference between fear that signals real danger and self-limiting fear that holds us back.

So, I decided to do something uncomfortable every day. And slowly, my comfort zone has been expanding.

The treasure I found? Freedom and connection.

I left the safety of my previous career to now spending my days doing what I love. I’ve connected with so many interesting people by initiating a conversation. I no longer feel bad about expressing my opinions, expressing my needs, or saying no to things that donโ€™t serve me.

Sure, there are still things that make me uncomfortable. But I choose to face them, and it gets easier every time.

Here are the steps I took, which you can do:

  1. Identify Your Cave: List the things that scare you, but aren’t dangerous. These are your self-limiting fears.
  2. Take Small Steps: Start small. Say hello to someone new. Share an idea in a meeting.
  3. Embrace Discomfort: Discomfort is temporary and a sign of growth.
  4. Reflect on Progress: Keep track of your experiences, and see your comfort zone expand.

Now, reading my progress log makes me smile. Some years years ago, saying, “Siri, play next song,” in a public place was something I struggled with.

This week, Iโ€™ll be speaking about leadership at public event.

Fear is still thereโ€”but itโ€™s no longer in charge.

More Digital Connection, Less Human Connection.

Have you also noticed that weโ€™re constantly connected through social media, but still many people feel more disconnected than ever?  

Next week, the ๐˜ž๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฌ ๐˜ˆ๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜“๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด kicks off in the Netherlands, and itโ€™s got me thinking about how many people, even in a bustling city like Amsterdam, feel disconnected. Did you know that 4 out of 10 adults in Amsterdam regularly experience loneliness? Itโ€™s a huge number, and yet itโ€™s something many of us donโ€™t talk about enough.

Iโ€™ve been lucky enough to be involved with two organizations that are trying to make a difference in their own waysโ€”Humanitas and JCI.

Humanitas, a national nonprofit, is focused on supporting people through community service, and one of their main pillars is addressing loneliness. Their Van Mij Naar Wij (From Me, To We) project pairs volunteers with individuals seeking more connection, offering them much-needed companionship and support.

On the other hand, JCI (Junior Chamber International) is a global network of young professionals, with a broader mission to contribute to society through leadership and social impact. While loneliness isnโ€™t a specific theme for JCI, itโ€™s a space where members can create projects that help their communities.

Humanitas recently launched a new campaign to shine a light on loneliness and the impact of Van Mij Naar Wij. Part of the campaign is to record personal and heartwarming stories around the theme of human connection.

I had the opportunity to join forces with an amazing person equally committed to raising awareness for this cause and project. Together, we filmed a story that reflects the power and importance of connection, which Iโ€™m happy to share below (in Dutch).

To build on this, a group of us from both Humanitas and our local JCI chamber, Amsterdam Zuid, collaborated to create something special: an art exhibition focused on connection. Weโ€™re opening the exhibition next Thursday in De Hoftuin, right at the start of the Week Against Loneliness, and it will run for a week.

Weโ€™re showing artwork that participants and volunteers of the project made, around the theme of โ€˜connectionโ€™. The goal is to spark more conversations about loneliness and how we can all do our part to combat it.

Raising awareness is key. Loneliness is something many people struggle with, but itโ€™s also something we can all help address, even in small ways. Whether thatโ€™s through volunteering, checking in on someone, or just being a little more mindful of those around us, we can all make a difference.

๐—œ๐—ณ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚’๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—”๐—บ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—บ, ๐˜„๐—ฒโ€™๐—ฑ ๐—น๐—ผ๐˜ƒ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜€๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐˜†๐—ผ๐˜‚ ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—ผ๐—ฝ๐—ฒ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐—ป๐—ฒ๐˜…๐˜ ๐—ง๐—ต๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐˜€๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐˜†, ๐—ฆ๐—ฒ๐—ฝ๐˜๐—ฒ๐—บ๐—ฏ๐—ฒ๐—ฟ 26๐˜๐—ต, 2024 ๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐Ÿญ๐Ÿณ:๐Ÿฌ๐Ÿฌ ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐——๐—ฒ ๐—›๐—ผ๐—ณ๐˜๐˜‚๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—ถ๐—ป ๐—”๐—บ๐˜€๐˜๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฑ๐—ฎ๐—บ, ๐—ผ๐—ฟ ๐—ณ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—น ๐—ณ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ผ ๐˜€๐˜๐—ผ๐—ฝ ๐—ฏ๐˜† ๐—ฎ๐—ป๐˜†๐˜๐—ถ๐—บ๐—ฒ ๐—ฑ๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐˜„๐—ฒ๐—ฒ๐—ธ.