Have you been keeping in contact with that person who you saw every day before the pandemic? Ever since the beginning of COVID, it seems like we have grown further apart from people who we used to spend all our time with. We didn’t realize the real meaning of “physical distancing” was to become emotionally distant from people. And in the blink of an eye, it has almost been two years since the start of this global pandemic, and you have lost all your closest connections.
It’s scary isn’t it? But what’s more intimidating is trying to regain those lost connections. Don’t tell me you’ve never typed up a paragraph-worth of text, and ten minutes later, your finger is still wandering above the ‘send’ button. After coming out from a long ‘hibernation,’ socializing wasn’t as effortless as we once remembered, and the first step of reaching out seems more daunting than ever. To steer away from the thought of “I’ll wait for them,” here are some ways to help you initiate the first step, and make your reconnecting process easier:
- Stories are your best Friends
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If the person you want to reconnect with is an avid Instagram or Snapchat user, you’re in luck. You can simply start a conversation by replying to their story and asking a question related to the story content. For example, if they posted vacation photos during summer you can ask them, “Where did you go for the break?”, or “How’s your vacation going?”. Questions are always a great conversation starter as they keep the chat box going. Casual questions like these make the approaching part less deliberate, and overtime, you can then ease into more in depth questions and maybe even catch up with them in person.
- The power of birthday and holiday Wishes
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This is pretty straightforward, and most of you are probably already doing it. Wishing people Happy Birthday or Happy Holidays shows that you actually care about them, and you have put in the effort to write them a heartwarming message. It also sends a signal hinting that you want to reconnect because your desire to catch-up with the person is embedded in the message that you send them. Like mentioned before, when you activate the chat box, the opportunity of getting a more in-depth update and meeting in person opens up.
- Connecting through Mutual friends
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Every time you talk to someone, it’s an opportunity for you to potentially reconnect with a mutual friend of yours. Most of the time, there are a few people that you both are friends with, and by casually bringing up the names of those mutual friends, you can break the ice if it’s a new person you are meeting while also getting an update of the mutual friend. When you are planning for your next meet-up with the individual, suggest the idea of inviting the mutual friend to the gathering. By doing so, you no longer have to overthink and constantly check for the right timing to send them messages. Instead, it skips the scariest part of the reconnecting process and allows you both to link-up magically.
- Identifying Common interests
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Finding common interests with the person you want to reconnect with is super useful when it comes to the topics you both can talk about and making plans for your meet-ups. For example, if you discovered that the individual enjoys spending time outdoors, then there are plenty of options for you both to have fun while strengthening the bond. With that being said, it doesn’t have to be a common interest every time; you might get surprised by your openness in trying out new things.
Remember, you can always reach out to people with just a simple, “Hey, let’s catch up!”. It might take some time for many of us to step out of our current comfort zone and get ourselves out in the open, but no matter which way you choose to reconnect with someone, it’s the thought that matters, and you demonstrate it through initiation. Developing a genuine connection with someone is already difficult enough in today’s world, so why not slow down the rate in which you lose them?