Soulful Relationships

Most of us believe relationships work a certain way: approaching a stranger takes courage, you risk being rejected, trust and bonding take time, and you have fear of loss once you’re invested in a relationship. This is one view of relationships, but there are others to consider as well.

Steve Pavlina has an article on soulful relationships, where you assume a connection with everyone around you. I’m sure it sounds a bit “new-agey,” but don’t be too quick to judge before you’ve tested the model yourself. Steve was resistant to it at first, but the results from the new mindset blew away what he was getting from the old one.

One quote of his stuck out to me:

Usually the best way to break the ice with someone is to assume there never was any ice to begin with.

Have you ever noticed someone like this in your life? They easily express themselves and their personality to complete strangers (the sub-communication is that they’re not afraid of rejection). It’s as if they assume you’ve always been friends — why wouldn’t you like them?

And most of us are drawn and attracted to these people. This exactly parallels the example of closed-off IT workers in the post on becoming more likeable.

If you’re wondering how some people seem so secure in displaying their personality to others, perhaps they’ve adopted the mindset that Steve Pavlina describes.