The Power of the Unexpected Check-in
New research on why you should reach out…
I thought about reaching out to an old friend but worried they wouldn’t care.
But this new research compelled me to hit “send”.
Researchers found that people constantly misjudge how much surprise connections are valued. The more surprising the connection, the more grateful the recipient is.
We crave connection but underestimate how much it’s valued.
I see people drifting apart more and more. The results of the study suggest many people want to reconnect with friends but hesitate to do so and that those hesitations may be misplaced.
The next time I pause before reaching out to people, I’ll think of these research findings and remind myself that there is no reason to think they would not appreciate my reaching out to them.
Next time, I’ll hit send, knowing they might be waiting too.
