#connection

#connection

Amid all the tumult of 2025, one idea keeps floating to the surface-the importance of connection. At NPQ, that means connecting with our readers. Connecting people across the sector with each other. Connecting people with ideas, and ideas to action. Here, we're featuring just a few of the columns and collections we produced in this year that kept us connected and in conversation.

Being right is a victory for the ego. Being connected is a truth of the soul. We are always connected-all that fluctuates is our awareness of that reality. But in being right, we not only forget that truth, but we translate the pain of disconnection into the cost of our struggle. Of course things are hard-because the other side makes it that way. This is true whether it's our political enemy or viewing our partner as the enemy.

The holidays rarely look like the glossy greeting-card version you grew up with, and that 's a good thing. From mismatched chairs around the table to spontaneous drop-ins and burnt cookies, the festive season can be a little messy, and all the more wonderful for it. After all, the holidays are yours and the way you choose to celebrate is what gives them meaning.

The holiday season is in full swing, with its parties, get-togethers, and festive feasts. Although it can seem like a season full of endless socializing, the reality is that more people spend the holidays alone. Reasons for this trend vary and can range from the practical (avoiding expensive flight tickets) to the more personal (family conflicts or estrangements). Some people relish the quiet time alone and have created holiday rituals for themselves-crafting,

At one point in evolution, they were necessary for physical survival. The situation is not quite so dire in contemporary human interactions, but we still depend on others for our connection and sense of well-being. Young children who are not touched or given the opportunity to connect with a caring adult may fail to thrive. Even our successes as adults only yield positive mental health benefits when they are supported and celebrated by those with whom we have meaningful relationships.

In a world where "professionalism" can mean anything from jeans-on-Fridays to polished Zoom backdrops, it's easy to feel adrift. Early in my career, I steered clear of PowerPoint entirely-back when slide decks ruled boardrooms-and I'm gratified that its limitations are now widely acknowledged. Likewise, the proliferation of online classrooms and virtual collaboration tools has laid bare how technology can foster passivity instead of true engagement.

The Beacon Hill broker cherishes family gatherings and finds solace beside the lake, reflecting on the loss of children from the past, longing for connection.

Trust isn't forced, but emerges from autonomic states shaped by safety, connection, and co-regulation. Trust is a physiological state arising from shared experiences.

My husband still wanted intimacy, often. I, on the other hand, felt distant from my own body. I didn't know how to explain it, so I said nothing.

The true hero's journey is the journey home—to each other, to the glow of a shared fire, to the village.

There's something about a good joke or a meme...where it sticks in our minds for years and we can draw from it for a certain feeling.

Finding strengths in the nature of the medium - the bleed and spread of paint on certain canvases - Pauline creates enchanting textures that accentuate her mural-esque illustrations of flying horses, demonic dogs and double-sided tigers.

The name Weeb made me feel loved. My foster father gave me the nickname Weeb around 1995 because I have very thick, dark hair and I was in my gawky teens.

The researchers note that although the concept is frequently used within Western popular culture to describe an 'intense connection,' there is less supporting academic research, partially due to the lack of a comprehensive definition of the term.

At the heart of connection is the feeling that your thoughts, emotions, and perceptions are not just valid, but also recognized by someone else. This doesn't require total agreement, but it does require enough overlap in how you each make sense of the world.

At the center of the system is TOPI, a device that looks more like a minimalist home sculpture than anything you would expect from a tech product. Set it on the kitchen table or by the entryway, and it becomes a gentle hub for conversation. Instead of sending out alerts or lighting up with endless information, TOPI introduces topics when family members are together, using a display that feels inviting rather than commanding.

Death Stranding was designed around 'the rope', an instrument to bind us together, contrasting with most games focused on 'the stick' to keep bad stuff away.

Shame is tied to the painful belief that you are fundamentally flawed, defective, or unworthy, and when ignored, it destructively impacts our lives.

Personality tests provide a moment of validation in a chaotic world, tapping into our desire for connection and clarity.

Each card felt like a future conversation waiting to happen. The act itself, the handoff, the glance, was more than transactional. It was relational.

Many relationships misinterpret compromise as sacrifice, leading to resentment instead of connection. It's vital to understand real compromise and its true meaning.