casual connections
first level
We all need personal connections in our life. It is a fundamental building block to happiness. Our connections were forged during the various chapters of our lives; grade school, high school, college, work and even as a result of our children’s extra-curricular activities. That’s about to change once again as you step into this new chapter of personal Freedom.
Where are those connections going to come from? Without personal connections, you will feel isolated and lonely. Watch this video on the Importance of Personal Connections . Focus on the organizations in which you now belong: religious and charitable organizations, or community social and fitness clubs. One of the leading benefits of living in an Active Lifestyle Community at Trilogy is the instant inculcation into an intimate community of friends who will fulfill this need for connection assuring this foundational aspect toward happiness is met. A friend of ours at Trilogy by Shea Homessaid it best when she said in the first month following moving into Trilogy she met 50 of her closest friends.
According to Richard Boles and John Nelson in their book What Color is Your Parachute, For Retirementthere are three levels of connections. The first level of connection is casual relationships. They are nice but not very deep. These relationships occur whenever two or more people get together. This might occur at Trilogy during the weekly happy hour or when sharing a table at Comedy Night, or Friday Night at the Mallorca Dance Club.
mutual-interest connections
second level
Relationships built upon a mutual-interest become deeper and more intimate. Girls that take fitness classes together experience this as do guys that have a weekly poker game. Better still, couples playing golf or tennis or involved in a progressive dinner club wind up reinforcing their enjoyment of the relationship over private conversations. It is important to develop mutual-interest connections as you begin to move into the retirement chapter of your life. One of the three core pillars is Connections at Trilogy. There are more clubs, activities, and travel packages designed to bring people together than any individual could possibly take in.
Connections forged through charitable activities
The most powerful connection of all
Giving back to those less fortunate is one of the best things we can do for ourselves. Watch this: the health benefits of giving. Now combine the benefits of giving with the benefits of close personal relationships and you get something really powerful. One of the best-known organizations that routinely bring teams of friends and associates together for the greater good is Habitat for Humanity. This is a picture of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter in their 90’s and still building homes. Another organization is Rotary Internationalwhich sponsors groups to inoculate children around the world from polio and groups that build water distribution systems in poverty-stricken countries.
