Finding Joy, Hope & Care In Relationships
Greetings from S. Florida! I’ve been spending much needed time with my guy, recharging my batteries and enjoying the ocean. The cover picture is from sunrise the other day @ Ft. Lauderdale Beach.
A couple of questions for you: How do you find joy & hope in challenging times and how do you nurture your relationships when stress levels are high?
Those are recent inquires from clients as well as in my personal life. I would love to hear from you if you’d like to share your insights and/or struggles.
Here’s a few suggestions from the world wide web & my own experiences:
Joy is found in the moments when you create, play, learn, spend time in nature, cook, sing & dance, connect, listen to music, help others, exercise, appreciate and love…to mention a few. Joy is found when you’re present in the moment and created when you’re actively cultivating it.
Hope is found when you practice gratitude, take time for self care, cultivate optimism, look at the possibilities in life, connect to your spiritual practices or rituals, surround yourself with positive people, do something creative, and perform an act of kindness to mention a few. Hope grows when you’re consciously cultivating it and created when you’re present in the moment.
Nurturing relationships during stressful times is a necessity that may feel challenging. Keep in mind that everyone copes with stress differently and goes into their own unique survival mode…understanding your own coping style and learning about your partner’s will help you get through.
This article from Psychology Today offers 10 valuable tips on nurturing relationships.
Here’s a few more suggestions that come from self reflecting after a recent exchange with my partner.
Be intentional with your communication and speak from wholeness, not hurt.
Manage your own emotions; tend to your partner’s. The difference is you can control your own, but not theirs.
Self-care, self-reflection and taking responsibility for yourself is key for showing up healthy and whole in a relationship. Same goes for your partner.
Be flexible, forgiving & fair; be willing to look for what’s right, not who’s right.
Think of your relationship as a unit, an “us” that is greater than you. The unit needs tending to like a garden does. The unit will thrive when you care & pay attention and suffer when neglected. It takes combined effort, commitment, communication and awareness to cultivate relationships, whether it’s personal or professional. This is true for a romantic relationship as well as teams & friendships.
Humans yearn to be seen, to be heard and to matter…How do you give and receive this in your relationships with more awareness and sensitivity?
To Powerful, Positive Change…Cheers!
Adela