As we go through our day-to-day lives, handling our business, and taking care of our families and such, it is important that we take stock of relationships we have with people who matter to us. With all that’s going on in the world today, and the potential immediate impact some of these things can have on our lives. We must never underestimate what our friends and loved ones mean to us.
This doesn’t require us to go out of our way to express our appreciation for people, but something as simple as, ‘I appreciate you’, or ‘I love you’ can go a long way towards solidifying bonds with people in our lives. Even though we consider ourselves to be close to certain people, or we think we know what’s going on with people we have relationships with, we don’t always know everything that’s going on with them. A recent report by the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the rate of suicide among African-American Males ages 15-24 went up nearly 47% between 2013 and 2019 (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2780380). It’s ok to not be ok, and we must encourage those who are not feeling well or feel they need to talk to someone to do so. We don’t have to be in a crisis to talk to someone about what’s not ok with us.
Our relationships are what help keep us balanced, motivated, encouraged, and above all else happy. It is important that we strive to bring positive synergy, interaction, and a healthy exchange of ideas and thoughts. There is more than enough negative energy in others throughout the world; don’t let such things consume you or your relationships with people. If you have such a relationship with someone where you feel they are not bringing out or encouraging the best in you, it may be time to consider letting that relationship go and moving on to something better.
Living your best life means putting yourself in the best situations possible to ensure the best outcomes possible. Make sure your relationships with people have this element present.