What it is
Intimidad is the Spanish word for intimacy, and I use it on purpose. In English, “intimacy” sounds too sexual and “connection” sounds too weak. What I mean is the ability to actually be near someone: trust, communication, vulnerability, patience, and restraint. Sometimes it even means giving someone space, because space can be part of closeness, not the end of it.
How it shows up for me
It’s the value I rank first, and it’s the hardest one for me. Relating to other adults takes a lot out of me. Efficiency, which serves me well at work, works against me here, so I try to notice which room I’m in before I start optimizing. Templanza, temperance, is my mom’s word, and it’s the part of this I practice most.
Go next
- Presence, the way I practice it day to day.
- Efficiency, the value that gets in its way.
- Communication