Talk and listen – me kōrero, me whakarongo, be there – me whakawātea i a koe, feel connected – me rongo i te whanaungatanga.
You can connect in so many ways. Connect with the people around you, such as your whanau/family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Connect at home, work, school, or in your local community. Think of these relationships as the cornerstone of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
- Become involved in groups; join your local craft, sports, choir, hobby or book club and enjoying singing, sewing, playing a card game, visiting gardens or croquet on the lawn together.
- Organise a baby photo competition with friends or colleagues – guess who the baby is!
- Host a potluck dinner, or have a street BBQ, with neighbours or friends/family and bring kai from different cultures.
- Gather some friends for a DVD evening; ask people to share a film they like.
- Smile at a stranger – you may be surprised by the smile you get back!
- Find more opportunities for humour in the home by starting a family joke collection.
- Connect with the whenua; grab some mates and get into the great outdoors - go on a bush walk, go surfing or mountain bike riding.
- Take time to read your local newspaper or newsletter – find out what’s going on in your area, such as music or cultural performances, then organise a group outing.
- Have a family WIFI, TV and text free day and bring out the old board games you have – you may be surprised at how much fun they still are! Contact a friend you have not seen or spoken to for a while and talk, talk, talk!
