As Many Hale says and I quote “To make a difference in someone’s life we don’t have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful or perfect. You just have to care”.
These are words that one will remember all their lives and should too because it’s not just science and technology that’s making our lives better but also the emotions that all living beings keep for each other. It is really important to teach children from a very young age to be empathetic, kind, loving, and caring regardless of gender. It is often said that children are like a seed and how one takes care of it is how they will grow into being. Human beings are social animals that will always need people to be there for them. Even though we have heard so many people say that they don’t need anyone and can survive alone, that is not entirely true. Yes, it is possible to survive alone but not forever or for that matter even for a few months.
We are social animals who require some kind of company even if it is not human beings. It’s been clinically proven that human beings cannot stay in isolation for long. If they do it’s not just hazardous to their mental health but also their physical health. We often hear people saying that when we are with the right kind of people we will never know how time flew and will always cherish the memories. The exact opposite happens when people are alone. They feel every minute like an hour. One should always remember that communication is always the key to make things better not just between a few individuals but also is responsible to make society and the community a place of happiness for all.
Types of Communications
There are various types of communications and are mainly categorized into four types which are:
- Verbal Communication
- Visual Communication
- Non-Verbal Communication
- Written Communication
Effective Communication
Now that we have understood the types of communication let us understand why effective communication is necessary between people. Effective communication is necessary because it provides some kind of value and meaning to the communication. It gives the conversation a purpose that makes it worthy and fruitful. Effective communication doesn’t have to be with just formal conversations. Even the most personal conversation can be called effective communication if communication has provided satisfaction and served its purpose in making things better. There are so many different ways that one can make communication effective.
Effective communication can be achieved when one is aware of the situation and environment before speaking. Just talking won’t make effective communication. The ability to be able to listen and understand also plays a very important role. Helping the listener by assisting them through conversations is also a means of effective communication. Being straightforward and not hiding anything to benefit oneself is an important point to remember for effective communication. Being truthful and honest for effective communication as our body language and facial expressions will probably tell the real truth. Being prepared for any kind of conversation helps one in being aware as well as strong, and confident about it which is one of the methods for effective communication.
Advantages of Good Communication
Everyone needs to remember that good communication enables to maintain unity, strength, love and gives hope for the future and this is not just for individuals but also for the society, community, states, countries, and the entire human mankind. Good communication promotes understanding which is a part of humans. Humans do everything to be understood perfectly. When there is good communication among people there is an understanding of just what they are saying but also what they are feeling and going through.
Good communication helps us to put ourselves in their shoes. We all fight, we all have arguments due to various reasons and solutions to these are only possible when there is good communication. Good communication keeps things alive. It is these communications that help people maintain and build new relationships. Good communication helps us to plan things and be methodical and responsible. This will help us to complete our work on time or sometimes before time which helps us to be punctual and stress-free.
Communication During a Pandemic
Who would have in their slightest dream imagined that a pandemic will hit us in 2019 and still be in it two years from then on? The pandemic pressed a big pause button on our busy, hectic, monotonous, and once believed nonstop life. We human beings could feel the pain and understand what a zoo animal caged in small quarters felt like. At one point it felt like a nightmare that never seems to end. The pandemic did not just affect our work life; it affected our personal life and even our physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing as an individual. I’m sure we all enjoyed the lockdown and the global pause at some point in time but we eventually expected and later started craving for normalcy.
We started understanding the meaning of life and being alive when we saw millions of people losing their lives every day around the world. Everyone could feel the pain and agony that other people were going through even when they didn’t share any kind of relation with them. Whether one accepts it or not it was communication and being there for each other plays a crucial role during the pandemic. A pandemic was required to make humans be humans again. Families learned to hold their members and be there from them even though distance made it difficult.
Friends held each other when they were stuck with parents with whom they don’t share good relations. Doctors and nurses from around the world held their patients and gave them a reason to stay alive. They acted as their strength towards the virus when they were weak and sick. The pandemic taught us to be there and help people in any possible way we could. We as human beings have learned this the hard way and something that we should never forget or put away as past. The pandemic has taught us to hold on to ourselves and give us the strength to care for ourselves and give ourselves the hope that everything will get better soon.
Meaning of “How are you holding up”
This sentence has a very simple meaning. The sentence is the way of asking a person whether they are doing okay during a difficult situation. This sentence has a little more importance than a sentence of “How are you” because the sentence “How are you holding up” shows that one is aware of the things and empathizes with them and they are there to provide any help or relief to make things better for the individual.
How to use the sentence “How are you holding up?”?
When an individual is trying to use the above sentence then there are some things that they should keep in mind before using it:
- Seeing the right time and place: We all are aware of the statement “Right statement wrong time” this is exactly what we are trying to avoid during this conversation. We are well aware that the individual is going through difficult times because we are using the statement that we also need to remember whether the environment and time are feasible for that individual to answer this question.
- Presence of positive space: While asking this question an individual should remember that they are not asking the above question to start a conversation rather a means of assurance that one is there for the individual. Hence it is really necessary to understand that it is important to provide that space to individuals to decide whether they want to talk about it or not. Space needs to be provided for the individual whether they are comfortable talking about it or not. When the space for decision is provided the conversation does not become awkward.
- Having the patience to listen: When a person is asking this question to another they should be ready to be able to listen to what the other has to say. They should be able to invest that amount of time and energy to be able to understand and provide support by just listening to what they have to say. During this conversation, it is important to make the other realize that their problem is not non-existent and cannot be pushed away.
- Acknowledging their emotions: One must understand that the individual is going through tough times and what they are going through is painful. Hence it is really necessary to talk and understand their emotions and remind them that their emotions are genuine. They should at times understand that what they are feeling is completely okay and nothing wrong with it. This point is very important to remember because people often forget that mental health also gets disturbed and it is necessary to look after it as well.
These are just some of the necessary points. As long as the person in difficulty feels at ease the purpose of asking the above question has been met.
Examples of How are you Holding Up
- When it’s a personal loss: Family means a lot to everyone. It is during this loss that people need to be there for each other. One should be careful while asking this question as asking this question too early can have a negative impact and asking it too late also will lose its value.
- When one is not able to achieve their career goals: The time when someone doesn’t get their dream job or dream college can often be painful and demotivating. Hence it is important to be there for them and asking them this question can help them open up and speak out their mind which will help them feel better and move forward.
- When one fails their exams: A lot of people don’t understand that failing an exam can be very devastating and it can have a lot of impacts on the individual. We hear people say that failure is the stepping stone to success. But what people fail to understand is that to take that stepping stone can be very difficult and tiring. Hence when this question is asked to people it at least helps them accept their situation, understand their mistakes and find solutions to set their things right.
- While recovering in a hospital due to any personal reason: Asking a person about how they are holding up after a major change in their physical or mental health will assure that there are people for them who care and love. It helps them get back to normalcy at a slow rate.
- Keeping a check: Sometimes there doesn’t have to be a reason for people to feel low. It is during this time that such a question can have a lot of impact on the individual. When they speak out their mind it can help them be calm and composed which helps them have positive mental health.
To conclude with a quote that goes by the saying that “Just being there for someone can sometimes bring hope when all seems hopeless”.
