Skill 5 Exercise:
Form Family Bonds

Family bonds (think Micro Groups) let us share the joy built by the people we love.

Practice the following exercise using forming family bonds for three.

The prerequisite for a joyful secure skill 5 is a stable skill 3 (two-way bonds). While there is a significant learning curve, we learn from one relationship how to interact and grow into the next. Early life patterns shape how well family bonds will develop. Rejection or belonging will set the tone for our interactions…

Those who struggle with skill 5 often feel alone at work, church and within group settings. It feels threatening to relate with more than one person at a time. Our comfort zone feels invaded when a new person enters the group. We may be guarded during gatherings and parties. Fear of rejection and anxiety surface when we interact with people. We count down the clock until it's time to leave. Computers, television, books and video games feels safer. Having one friend feels better than two or three and so the motto “Two is company, three is a crowd” fits well with our internal responses…

Three-way bonds provide the opportunity to express the best of ourselves, correct malfunctions and grow more joy. Where our biological family fails us, spiritual family and hesed love community can supplement some of the needs for restoration.
~ p. 89,90, Transforming Fellowship, Chris Coursey

An additional book from Chris Coursey to consider reading is The 4 Habits of Raising Joy-Filled Kids

And you are always welcome to soak up some of their on-line materials by checking out skill 5 from their website: https://thrivetoday.org/skill5/