How to Become a People Person - Regency Retirement Resorts

At Regency, we strive to be the most welcoming and warm place to both live and work. Everyone here is kind and caring towards the people that reside at our Resorts. Regency’s residents and staff are people-y people (people who like each other’s company), and we have some helpful tips on how you can be similar.

Smile genuinely

We believe that a smile is one of the best ways to connect with others. We know that a smile is a small thing we can do to brighten someone’s day and so we try to bring that attitude into every situation. Not only does a smile make others feel good, but it also helps you feel great as well. Ding Li writes in their article, “When our smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating our reward system, and further increasing our level of happy hormones, or endorphins. In short, when our brain feels happy, we smile; when we smile, our brain feels happier” (Li) and proves to us why Regency goes the extra mile and smile, it makes us happy! So go forth and smile today! It might just bring you and others much closer.

Care for the people you are interacting with

At Regency, we believe that when we care for someone, we show a genuine interest in them and their lives. We seek out situations that allow us to connect with them. The University of Rochester Medical Clinic provides us with 6 ways to show people you care:

Write them a powerful letter full of love and hope.
Take care of some of their responsibilities (for example, watch their kids, do their laundry, cook them dinner, or go shopping for them).
Call often to remind them how much you love them and how you are always thinking of them.
When you visit, bring a book to read aloud or a movie to watch together.
Bring them pictures of your times together and hang them where they can be viewed all the time.
Spend time reminiscing about the fun times that you’ve shared (as children, in high school or college, or on vacations). Remind him or her that there will be more good times in the future (“Easy Ways to Show Someone You Care – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center”)

We resonate highly with the second item on this list. Taking care of people and letting their work go noticed by those around them is the most promising way to share and connect with others. Caring builds positive experiences with people. When we show people we care, they will return it in kind, thus making connecting all the better. Our staff serve the residents in every area of their lives and makes getting to know one another even more special because we show we care.

Let go of judgment

Judgment of others can be a rabbit hole no one wanted to go down and can lead to sometimes false assumptions about others. Now, that doesn’t seem like a connection to us. Kier Brady writes in her article “How to Stop Judging Others” that judgment is something we all do, but that it “is a quick process, often based on superficial information. The comparison used to judge is more about you and your own strengths and weaknesses that have very little to do with the other person” (Brady). Brady then goes on to give six tips on how to stop negative judgment, the first being that of practicing curiosity and how in doing so you can form better connections with people. We believe that by slowing down and getting to know people we can cease our judgments of them. By finding interesting bits of information, we can become closer to those around us. Maybe even like people around us more. The comfort of the Regency lifestyle allows you the time to be curious about others, to suspend judgement, and find connection.

Enjoy your time with everyone that you encounter

We believe fully in this mentality. In having fun in our interactions with others, both residents and co-workers, we can facilitate better connections. So why not leave room for fun. At Regency, we strive for fun and enjoyment to be at the heart of everything we do. Michael Rucker supports this idea of fun when he notes in his article that “having more fun improves your relationships, both at work and in life” (Rucker). Citing that we are more appealing as people when we have more fun (Rucker). Lastly, Rucker notes “Studies show that fun activities at work can improve our relationships with co-workers. These strong bonds developed with our colleagues have been linked to improved performance and productivity” by citing Kansal, Puja, & Maheshwari. So, the fun you have at work is paramount to how you are with the people at work. Regency understands that fun must be a part of the job and we love to have fun, not only for ourselves but for the residents. Being someone who like to be with others is predicated on fun and Regency strives to weave that into the lives of both its staff and residents.

Put yourself out of your comfort zone

Someone, somewhere once wrote “growth doesn’t happen in comfort” or something to that affect. Regardless, we can see that when people push themselves to be outgoing and connect with everyone around them, that massive benefits can be a result. Joshua Miller in his article “7 Benefits of Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone” notes that there are the following benefits when we allow ourselves to feel discomfort.

Opportunity to grow
Learn about yourself
Expanding yourself and your creativity
Increase your self-confidence
Learn to deal with challenges
Life becomes lively
Build new relationships

We love when people grow through challenging activities they have never done before and think it’s inspiring to see these people flourish not only within themselves, but in their relationships with others as well. Working with the same co-workers and residents everyday allows you the space to explore the boundaries of your comfort zone, to dance with a resident on their birthday, or crack a joke when you wait for an elevator. Let’s embark on a journey outside of our comfort zone.

Realize the value you have in every conversation

Stephanie Kirby, author of “Why self-worth matters and how to improve it” helps people to understand the importance of self-worth and recognize how important they are (a critical step to becoming someone who likes other people—liking yourself first). “You can have more honest relationships when you have a higher sense of self-worth because you don’t feel the need to hide who you are. This goes for romantic relationships [and] work relationships, friendships, and family relationships. They become more honest when you value yourself.” (Kirby). Recognizing your worth not only in the eyes of others but to yourself is of the utmost importance. We know how awesome and needed you are, and we hope you do too.

Psychology today’s article on how to be yourself starts with what we think is the most important factor in being a people person, accepting yourself (Davis). Being comfortable with yourself will help others see how awesome you are and make you feel the best in every situation. We already accept you, so why shouldn’t you accept you?

If you find this blog interesting and wish to become a part of a wonderful team that will help you facilitate all of these things and help you become a people person, then apply online—careers@regencyresorts.ca or attend our hiring fair on June 25^th at 1277 Gordon Drive, Kelowna or June 26^th at 3457 Wilson Street, Penticton.

Works Cited

Brady, Keir. “How To Stop Judging Others.” Keir Brady Counseling Services, 30 Oct. 2019, keirbradycounseling.com/how-to-stop-judging-others.

Davis, Tchiki. “How to Be Yourself in Five Simple Steps.” Psychology Today, 8 Oct. 2018, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/click-here-happiness/201810/how-be-yourself-in-five-simple-steps.

“Easy Ways to Show Someone You Care – Health Encyclopedia – University of Rochester Medical Center.” University of Rochester Medical Center, www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=34&ContentID=21692-1. Accessed 11 June 2022.

Kirby, Stephanie. “Why Self-Worth Matters And How To Improve It | BetterHelp.” Better Help, 29 Apr. 2022, www.betterhelp.com/advice/self-esteem/why-self-worth-matters-and-how-to-improve-it.

Li, Ding. “What’s the Science behind a Smile?” British Council, 2 Apr. 2014, www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/famelab-whats-science-behind-smile#:~:text=When%20our%20smiling%20muscles%20contract,it%20till%20you%20make%20it!

Miller, Joshua. “7 Benefits From Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone.” LinkedIn, 6 Feb. 2021, www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-benefits-from-stepping-outside-your-comfort-zone-joshua-miller.

Rucker, Michael. “Why You Need More Fun in Your Life, According to Science •.” Mike Rucker, Ph.D., 1 Dec. 2021, michaelrucker.com/having-fun/why-you-need-more-fun-in-your-life.