A few years ago, I received the following text message:
“I thought about you today. It brought me joy to a singularly exquisite attainment.”
I inserted it in my journal, not only because it is poetically beautiful, but also my connection to the person who sent it to me; one of my older cousins- he was the one who first took me to the 7th Day Adventist Church where I met Jesus. Even though my cousin and I don’t talk often, we still harbor genuine respect and love for one another.
Healthy relationships (familial, friendships, romantic) help promote a healthier overall life. We all need authentic relationships for our cognitive, emotional, and even our physical health. Strong relationship is a primary need that can help us stay healthy and live longer. There is a downside in the way we connect with one another via the internet; it tends to lack substance. Meaningful connection can happen in the virtual world, but it requires creativity and dispositional reciprocity. When you meet someone you resonate with online or in person, invest in establishing and maintaining that connection; meaningful relationship exerts a positive impact on your health. The rules are the same for online and in person:
- Know yourself, you are not for everyone, not everyone is for you and that's ok
- Show that you care, develop trust, and have mutual respect for each other
- Be kind, listen to each other, communicate openly, and without judgment
- Invest your time, and engage in fun, healthy activities together
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we spent a lot of time without seeing, hugging some of our friends and loved ones. The pandemic has taught us how to practice good hygiene, and more importantly, that we are innately social beings. Many activities and States are re-opening this summer season, make it a priority to reconnect with people who make you happy. Remember, it's also the right time to re-evaluate your relationship with some people. Naturally, we change friends at different stages of our lives. If you are feeling a need for change, now is the time to act. Consider the friendships that were on pause, is it time to resume, reposition, repair or replace?
For the ones you elect to keep, seek a deeper connection; one fostered by openness, thoughtfulness, emotional depth, vulnerabilities, and genuineness.
Healthy relationships not only boost your sense of wellness and happiness, but also existential longevity. Healthy relationships are not just nice to have, they constitute a fundamental need in all humans. Without healthy relationships, it is NEARLY impossible for anyone to become emotionally stable. Think about your happiest memory at different stages of your life, who is involved?
Healthy regards,
Bid
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