Transcript
Well, hello, everyone. And, um, yeah, Rocky. So today, you and I are having a bit of time to reflect. And we were talking, I think a couple of weeks ago and said, we do have some summer musings that we, that we would like to just put out there. Um, and we’re gonna talk about putting things out there in a bit. Um, but, but before we get going, why don’t you introduce yourself to everyone? Well, hello, everyone. My name is Ray Singh. And, um, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know Annamy in the past year, and who has been a great sounding board, um, collaborator and co-thinker, and a sharer of deep thoughts and reflections.
Yeah, and I think also a few, not so deep and a couple of partnering crime activities, if we have to be honest there, right? So and amusing. Maybe that should be the title of our podcast. Now, We were sitting and preparing for the podcast, and I was saying, OK, so what some musings have you had? And I love the theme that, that came up for you around. I think you said connectedness. Well, what’s, so one is I think summer musings, um, and we’re thinking of sun, sea, fun, and absolutely.
I think also, it’s a good time to reflect. And what came up for me was around connection. And summer is a good time, a great time to connect because we’re probably more so connected. To nature, because we can, right? Enjoying the sunlight. And also all the fun that we’re having with friends and, um, getting out there, all the beautiful oxytocin and serotonin and all the good, good stuff that’s going on. Yeah. And I think if I reflect on that, yeah, we’ll get to winter in a minute.
But, um, I think you also had an interesting point to make about the fact that in a world where there’s a flip side to connection as well, right. So, um, when we look at what is there in terms of connection, right? So firstly, it’s looking at and examining. Connection. We know that we are in an epidemic of loneliness, and that may look different to different people. For me, this is where the idea or the thought around connection comes in, connection to self, connection to others, connection to our environment.
And in this world that we live in, whilst there’s so much, such a presence of people on social media, information, and so forth, um, it can still feel lonely and isolating. Yeah, and that’s the irony, right? At a time when we’re more connected, many more of us are not, yeah, just feeling isolated and not connected, because I think there’s so much pressure on you to be out there, to be connecting, to be sharing. It’s almost as if you run on empty. Yeah. So, so what, what, um, in this world of technological connection, right?
What does true connection mean? What does connection to yourself mean? And this is a question I’ve been asking myself. And has that shifted and changed over time? And if so, where, where am I with that right now? Cause the more I connect with myself, I can tap into. My inner wisdom. Um, and understand for myself better how I. Exist in this world and can make the most of it. And you talk about a, a highly technologically connected world. Um, and so how do we balance that with um emotional connections?
Right? In relationships, more people are, you know, um, single these days, right? So even if you are in, um, family situation or You are, you know, people travel, they work across the globe. Um, and there’s an upside to that. But what are those downsides? But do you think, uh, maybe we’ve all become a bit lazy and maybe someone could someone could offer us an opportunity to recharge in the sense, or have we, we become more selective, but Connecting takes an effort, and energy, right? And I think in, in the world we’re in today, um, yeah, there’s a lot that takes our energy.
And so, maybe, maybe it’s not that we’re lazy, but maybe it’s just that we don’t have more to give to connect, which is such a shame. Well, you know, as you say that, something else comes up for me in relation to this is, um, Our sense of belonging, right? Belonging to ourselves, feeling a sense of belonging. Um, and I, and I’m talking about belonging, um, not in terms of, you know, uh, a strategy or something programmatic. I mean, what is, um, true and deep at a human level.
And so you talk about the effort. Of course, we’re, we’re, we’re beaten down, right? By, uh, expectation, information, and so on. Uh, but is there another way to approach this? Right? When we find people and you said, are we lazy? So what makes it worthwhile investing? And If we have the sense of connection and therefore belonging to ourselves, how much easier is it to then connect and feel a sense of belonging? Yeah, and I think it’s that old. Yeah, that old wisdom of start with yourself, because a lot of people think it’s selfish to start with yourself.
But actually, it’s, it’s more selfish to not start with yourself and connecting with yourself, because I think sometimes the hardest to connect with is yourself. Absolutely. Um. We talk about authenticity, authentic connections, deep connections. And I think that’s the difference between, um, connecting with people, where You know, you, you, um, it’s, it’s relatable. It is a nourishing growing experience, right? Versus, um, maybe being connected to many people at a very superficial level. Right? So connection is not just the, but the depth that’s involved in that. So what have you, what would you say have you learned this summer?
Um, I always like to say, well, not I, but I know people always say, what are the three things that you can tell me to either watch, read, look, look at, listen, do to maybe reflect a little bit on Connection. So my connection, right? So not just know, but actually do. Yeah. So here’s something that I have been working on to develop, um, and I’ll start with the connection with myself. It’s not always in my head or in my thoughts. Um, so how am I connecting with my My entire self as an integrated whole.
Um, and some of that is to the body and the information that I get from that. And what I’m able to move and shift. And here, I’m talking about from a neurobiological point of view. Um, so we don’t always have to analyse things intellectually. We can. We can feel the experience. And maybe that’s what we need to tune into and connect with more deeply is, what is this experience? What’s going on? Good and bad, what is the information? Um, and then the next thing I would say is also taking time to savour.
Um, yeah, there was that whole movement. You remember, trying to remember who was slow or flow or do you remember? Yeah, I think there was I can’t remember. I’ll I’ll put it in the post. So when you look at what is the, what is the, um, what do you call it? Like, social capital of of today, right? Um, it is not about doing more at pace, right? Stillness. OK. And moving slow to go fast, it’s wellness. Look at what’s emerging around us and what we’re talking about today, right?
These shifts, people are more aware. And so, um, instead of rewarding, you know, the super busy, what we look up to is, ah. So here’s somebody who is calm and. Absolutely. So you said 3 things. So my third one is, um, so the first one was around connecting with your connecting with your body. Um, so the inside, the next is, um, what I sit around, savouring and considering, um, stillness. So experiencing being in moments and stillness as your social capital. OK. And the third thing I would say is It’s summer.
Let’s just not take ourselves so seriously. And actually, maybe the third one is have a bit of fun. Absolutely. Um, because I think if you look at all the, all the pressure to connect, I mean, connection doesn’t need to be pressure, right? And I think the more we can found, the easier it is to connect. laugh with people, right? Look there, yeah. And that is, um, loops all the way back to the connection, because we’re generating oxytocin. Exactly. One last thing, one last question, cause I’m checking our time.
How, what’s your advice on closing the knowing doing gap? Because I think at some level, what we’re talking about here, we all know about intuitively, but we just find it so hard to do. So I have a few thoughts, but I’d love to hear yours first. Well, I think in this world of, um, You know, experts and 5 steps, 10 steps, and, you know, self-help books and so forth. Um, if I reflect on exactly what we’re talking about today, um, tune into your inner wisdom. Well, what if someone says, I don’t have any word?
And it doesn’t have to be meditation. You can connect with yourself in one deep, powerful breath. True. Right. And see what happens. And you don’t have to have the answers all at once. So it starts small because I think at the end of the day, I think there are 3 really important things you said, and we can get overwhelmed. And it’s not about trying to do all, I mean, hopefully, you can have fun. But at least for the other two, it’s not about forcing yourself to have fun or trying all three, or being perfect at all of them, right?
It’s about starting small. And something I’d say to that is, meet yourself where you are, to move yourself forward. Uh, I think what can create the overwhelm is that, um, we assume, one is, like you said, I need the wisdom outside of myself. And of course, there’s, there’s, there’s information and guidance and role modelling and so forth that we can. But what is right for me and trusting in that, and then One step at a time. Small, small, incremental shifts. And we don’t have to be perfect. Nope.
Imperfectly perfect. Exactly. So on that note, that imperfectly perfect note, we have mused, been amused. And I think it’s interesting because there is this whole muse and muse in the three things that you were saying there. And I wish, yeah, I hope many people try what we’ve discussed, or at least just think about it. Absolutely. That’s the, that’s the start. That’s a good start. Just thinking about it. Well, just listening to this is an even better start. Thanks, Ray. And, uh, yeah, wishing everyone a lovely summer.
Happy summer, and thank you for having me. Pleasure.
