One effective way to make new connections or strengthen current relationships is to think about how you can incorporate just one person into the daily decisions and rhythms of your life. With a little intentionality, you can make hundreds of personal, and meaningful connections over the course of a year.
I recently heard this strategy referred to as “plus one.” The idea is to think about how you might incorporate just one person into what you are already doing. Which means, you don’t have to sit around and come up with a bunch of new ideas on how to connect with people. You just need to identify one person and invite them to participate in what your are already doing.
Here’s what this might look like:
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Going to a concert, buy an extra ticket and gift it to someone.
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Need your nails done, book two reservations and invite a friend.
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Eating out after church, invite another couple to tag along.
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Cooked to much for dinner, take a plate to an elderly bachelor or widow.
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Taking your kids fishing, encourage them to take a friend.
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Buying a drink on your break at work, but two and give one away.
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Taking a trip to see your parents, take the kids out of school and bring them along.
With almost anything you do, it is possible to invite someone else to participate. You just have to train yourself to think differently—think, plus one. I know it sounds elementary, but this one small shift in thinking has the potential to lead to hundreds of others focused interactions during the course of just one year. And, given the year that we have come through, where many people have been isolated and at home, it would be a breath of fresh air to be thought about by someone else.
If you like this idea, send it to a friend. (Plus One)