Sonder: The realization
that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
Image Credit: The Practical Psych
We often tend to direct
our daily focus on accomplishments and deadlines in our attempt to achieve success.
To fill any voids we may perceive in our lives, we lean on the crutch of acquiring
material things to bring us comfort. This blog challenges these societal “norms”
and instead explores the "soft" skills and tools available to us all to
improve our daily quality of life, which will in turn lead to the greatest
success of all: a satisfying, fulfilling, connected, contented life for ourselves
and also those around us.
Often overlooked practices
such as offering compassion to others are not simply natural born traits allotted
for some of us, but proven skills
that can be learned by any of us.
Image Credit: Association for Psychological Science
A few additional topics you can expect to see explored here
are:
- relationships
- work/life balance
- coping with loss and illness
- branching out of our comfort zones
Being a full-time-employed adult who has returned to
college, I have begun my own process of being bold and branching out into the
unknown.
I have a lifelong interest in continuing to learn and grow
as a person. I believe continuing to learn and evolve throughout life is our
greatest purpose.
I also believe that sharing is caring so here you will read what I have learned through my own experience and trial and error. I hope that something you read here will connect with you in some way and that possibly you will share your own experiences, if you are so inclined.
I'm so glad you're here.
What an inspirational topic. Sonder seems to be the opposite of the philosophical perspective of solipsism. Solipsism is essentially thinking of everyone else as NPCs. It is a strange notion to think that others are not conscious individuals.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that happiness is dependent on having meaningful relationships with other is something that often gets overlooked in our society. It can help people get ahead in careers, and give a personal sense of fulfillment. It can often be a challenge for introverts like myself.
I will admit that when I clicked on your blog, I did not know what 'sonder' meant. Thank you for allowing me to put a word to something I have experienced and could previously not define. As a small-town girl, I have experienced sonder when visiting different cities. Walking down city streets, I have wondered about whether someone is late for an appointment, or if they work in one of those fancy downtown offices, or if they are brand new to the city. I think Brad's comment about the challenges of forming and maintaining new connections as an introvert could inspire an entire blog post. A lot of introverts I know (including myself) have adopted their own strategies that work for them, and discussing those could create some really productive conversation.
ReplyDeleteI gotta say, it's such a refreshing perspective. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle of accomplishments and material stuff, so it's cool that you're shining a light on the "soft" skills that can make life more meaningful. Your focus on relationships, work/life balance, and coping with life's curveballs is spot-on for a lot of us juggling work and college.
ReplyDeleteAs a fellow full-time-employed college student, I totally get the challenge of branching out into the unknown. It's a wild ride, right? Your emphasis on continuous learning and personal growth resonates with me, too. It's like you're putting into words the things we all think about but might not express.
Looking forward to reading more about your experiences and maybe sharing a few of mine in the process. Keep it up!