One Thing To Make This Holiday Season The Best Yet

The holidays can be stressful. We can get caught up in the idea of perfection, worrying about the food, our appearance, and societal ideals of how to celebrate. Let me offer an alternative approach…

Using this time of year, when we usually spend with loved ones, can be a fabulous opportunity to genuinely connect with others. Instead of obsessing over the meal, what to wear, or a mile-long shopping list, we can direct our energy toward genuinely connecting with those around us. The best way to connect is to listen – not just listening to respond, but listening to understand and create deeper meaning.

Listening is a key aspect of connection, and it's something we often overlook in our fast-paced lives. Surprisingly, over 80 percent of what we learn comes from listening, but we often listen at only 25 percent efficiency. Believe me, I have to remind myself often to truly “listen,” it’s not as easy as it seems!

Need help with how to start? Here are a few science-backed ways to foster connection in our conversations:

●  Pause and take a breath before responding

●  Maintain “open”  listening -  body language

●  Ask follow-up questions avoiding self-referencial responses

●  Resist the urge to interrupt or defend

Take the time during the holidays to truly connect with others by practicing the art of listening. Choose someone to connect with during this season, whether it be a family member, friend, or stranger. Keep in mind that it might feel strange or awkward at first. However, people may be conditioned to be interrupted or not actually listened to, and they will appreciate the effort.

Social connectedness is essential to our well-being. Loneliness is a top cause of death. The consensus in the scientific community is that meaningful relationships play a essential role in promoting our mental and physical well-being. From heart disease to dementia to mortality rates, interpersonal relationships lower our likelihood for a multitude of ailments.

So, connections with others help us live longer, improve our mental health, and boost our wellness. With that in mind, instead of stressing about the holiday details, focus on meaningful connections and truly listening to those who matter to you. I can guarantee, it’ll be a wonderful gift we can give to ourselves and others this year.

… and if you’d like to treat yourself to another special gift, my 5-Module MASTER Menopause NOW! Online Course is waiting for you. In this course, I provide simple strategies for mastering Sleep, Stress Resilience, Calendar, Movement, and Food as Fuel – essential elements of your wellness today and throughout the rest of your life. While you focus on making genuine connections this season, don’t forget to focus on your wellness, too.

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Adrien Cotton

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ADRIEN COTTON believes the greatest gift you can give to yourself is the gift of wellness.

After serving in high-leverage professional roles, including being one of the youngest Communications Directors in the US House of Representatives, Adrien pivoted her career focus to helping clients capture their strength in all areas of life. An accomplished speaker, entrepreneur, corporate wellness educator, menopause expert, and wellness coach, Adrien has proven success in designing and implementing innovative wellness programs. 

With a Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University, Adrien sharpened her professional skills by working with individuals from all walks of life. This unique background allows her to tailor her services for each and every client, with optimization and long-lasting success as the goal. Her effectiveness is rooted in a solid foundation of growth-oriented principles, a proven history of helping clients transform their lives, and a deep level of relatability gained from her personal wellness journey.

Since founding her wellness enterprise, Adrien leverages her fitness and wellness background to guide people from a state of giving up to a place of proactive self-care. Her work extends beyond nutrition and exercise, emphasizing lifestyle and high-impact areas of focus visually represented in her Wellness Wheel. Incorporating strategies in stress resilience, sleep, calendar management, mindfulness, and menopause, she’s helped transform hundreds of lives.

Adrien is living her mission to support clients in shifting their mindsets and helping them leverage small habits that yield lasting results.

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