Bulletin Spring 2018

3. Communicate using different mediums – send texts
or Facebook messages, Skype or Facetime; or whichever
app you prefer to use. Even go old school and send a card
or letter in the snail mail! Small acts go a long way to
maintaining connection.
4. Talk to strangers – use everyday interactions to increase
your social connectedness to the wider world. Strike up that
conversation with the taxi driver, the checkout attendant,
the person next to you at the doctor’s receptionist, it may
not be a long-term relationship, but small interactions can
build your confidence and promote wellbeing.
5. Partake in one of the MSWA groups on offer. A variety
of different groups, run by the various departments, are
available to you to join and participate in. This will offer you
the opportunity to meet with others in similar circumstances
– so you already have something in common with them!
Loneliness and social isolation is a problem, but it does
not have to be yours. If you would like further support in
this area of your life I encourage you to contact the MSWA
counselling department and make an appointment to see
one of the counsellors. Go on do it …. Life is for living
and sharing it in the company of others!
Reference: Valtorta NK, Kanaan M, Gilbody S, et al. Loneliness
and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease
and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal
observational studies. Heart 2016; 102:1009-1016.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE
BY DR ANDREW E ONG
As we go through life our spiritual self is accumulating a
layer of little hurtful slights, heartaches, disappointments and
betrayals which can cloud our good judgement in a cloak of
mistrust, and in some cases, hopelessness. Let us call this
the cosmic dust of life.
Like all good housekeepers however, a regular dusting is
necessary to make room for happiness and the better things
that life has to offer. Of course, when you stir things up you are
sure to get a little dust in your eyes which may hurt a little, you
may feel sorry for yourself and even bring a tear to your eye.
All of this is natural, for venting your emotions is an excellent
way of ridding yourself of all this unwanted accumulated
baggage. The trick is to let these tears wash away the dust
and restore your vision so that you can get on with living. You
need to know what you are doing, like what you are doing,
and then believe in what you are doing.
Begin your dusting by mastering some simple principles of
human relations. Try never to criticise, condemn or complain.
Learn instead to praise, encourage and look at the positive
side of things before pointing out any problems or faults. Try
to be sympathetic and tolerant. Be kind and understanding
but above all, learn to forgive others and especially yourself.
Give sincere and honest appreciation. Be enthusiastic. Don’t
talk down to people. Instead find out their needs and become
genuinely interested in them. Just be aware that the person
you think is drowning might only be waving to a friend.
Try not to win an argument, because it is rare to win over
the other person’s ‘goodwill.’ Instead use tact, empathy,
diplomacy and try to see the other person’s point of view.
Then thank people for their interest, step back and allow
some thinking time.
These little things are at the core of human understanding.
When you are right, be gracious. If you are wrong admit it
immediately, and then you are in the position to maintain
your self-control by making amends. You can remain calm,
because you can only help people find the answer. You cannot
teach a person anything other than to find themselves. In the
end the best way to win an argument is to avoid it.
Therefore learn to persuade people with gentleness. If
you want to win friends let the other person do most of
the talking. If you want cooperation you must first show
the other person that their ideas are as important as your
own. Finally, and you would think this is the easiest as
every person has one; make a special effort to remember
a person’s name.
MSWA BULLETIN SPRING 2018 | 15