3 Top-Tier Tips On Creating & Celebrating Your Connections With Others On CNY
From 1 to 31 January, you can stand a chance to win a whole Guinness-infused Chinese New Year banquet dinner with the people you choose to spend time with!
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Our connection to one another is what defines us as individuals and it’s only human nature to seek out the comfort of family and community for us to prosper.
Since the pandemic, some of us might have been missing the warmth and reliability of the human connection. It’s totally understandable that it might be hard to get back into that social groove.
But as it stands, it remains important for us to break down our boundaries and maybe even the walls we’ve put up along the way to embrace meaningful connections and truly celebrate our common need for one another.
So just in case, you might be a little rusty at this whole “socializing” thing, here are some easy tips you can use to reconnect with estranged loved ones or even build bonds with soon-to-be compadres, just in time for the Chinese New Year festivities.
Tip 1: Be GUNG HO about it!
Being reserved and cocooning by yourself can be a lonely way to live, so you need to be clever, charming and, most of all, motivated to move out of your comfort zone to engage and reach out to others.
One of the biggest traps that we often fall into is the assumption that people don’t like us or care about what we have to say.
Don’t be afraid to strike up thoughtful conversations about things you find interesting or insightful.
Try sharing your beliefs, ideas and perspectives the next time you meet people at the reunion dinner and pick their brains about their principles and values.
Ask them about their hopes, dreams and resolutions for the new year or even how they plan to invest the ang pow money they got for CNY.
After all, you can’t be talking about the weather forever!
Tip 2: Don’t just talk, LISTEN!
Sharing your thoughts and ideas with people is great, so long as you give them time to respond and allow for them to speak their minds and get a load off their chests.
Pay close attention to what people have to say and try to get a sense of how they’re actually feeling. A useful skill is to remain patient and acknowledge what they’re expressing and be empathetic with their emotions.
You can experiment with responding to people with a simple nod or using phrases like “I see”, “I know how you feel” or even “I understand what you’re going through” the next time they’re brave enough to share what’s going on in their heads.
Just try and respect their boundaries when you’re doing so as you wouldn’t wanna push and pry too much at the next family gathering – not unless you’re ready for things to get a bit awkward!
Tip 3: Follow up and make PLANS!
Connections must be fostered and nurtured, and having physical, facemask-to-facemask (ehem) interactions with others is the ultimate way to build strong social bonds.
Planning to get together IRL with others is an excellent way to cultivate the confidence, trust and loyalty we have with one another and develop truly meaningful relationships.
Don’t be too quick to turn down an invitation you received or miss out on the opportunity to ask people you care about, or share interests with to go out for a drink the next time you get a chance.
Keep in mind that it’s okay to be anxious around other people and completely fine if you find that your social skills are a bit out of practice.
That’s what these get-togethers are all about: for you to be yourself, warm up to others and create genuine connections to get rid of your social anxieties.
Bonus Tip: Use BAIT!
Nothing works better at bridging connections than sharing conversations over food and beverages. And we might be able to help you with that.
From 1 to 31 January, you can stand a chance to win a whole Guinness-infused Chinese New Year banquet dinner with the people you choose to spend time with!
This festive party-favour comes with a Guinness-personalised “Chatterbox” – a party starter pack equipped with conversation cards, snacks, and more Guinness products to aid you in your social endeavours.
Here’s how you can get a hold of it
- Share your Chinese New Year celebration plans in the giveaway comment section on Guinness’ official Facebook page (HERE).
- Tag three (3) family and friends.
- Stand a chance to win an exclusive #CelebrateForReal Chatterbox and a Guinness-infused Chinese New Year feast.
Terms and conditions apply of course!
With a little effort, you’d be fortunate enough to be blessed with auspicious connections that’ll last a lifetime.
Just remember to stay Covid-safe, and that the legal drinking age in Malaysia is 21. So it means that you’d need to be 21-years-old and non-Muslim to purchase and consume alcohol.
Also if you’re planning on drinking, remember to do it responsibly and in moderation, and don’t drink and drive. Instead, try carpooling with the people you want to connect with (who aren’t drinking, of course) or just catch a cab instead.
For more info, head on over to Guinness Malaysia’s Facebook page, (HERE).
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