With the hustle and bustle of life, it can be hard to slow down and reflect on what’s actually going on around you—sometimes we even have to pencil in a break or bedtime on our schedules. Just as Amber talked about yesterday in her post “15 Rules to Live by,” at times we need to just take a breather and respect our own needs. Many of our posts focus on finding time for yourself but today I’d like to discuss spending quality time with others. Part of tending to our own needs, is connecting with others. Your social environment can have a large affect on your mood, behavior and even values. If we nurture our environment, we'll get back in return.
Living about 5 hours away from my hometown, I know I’m guilty of neglecting friends and family I don’t see every day. I’ll even admit that sometimes I just don’t feel like picking up when I’m trying to wind down and all of a sudden I see a friend is calling that I haven’t spoken to in awhile. I know this conversation will last awhile so I decide to just call them back later—but of course later we’re too busy.
What we need to remember is that no matter how busy life gets, we need to be sure we’re actually living it and sharing it with others. Simple things like Skyping for a few minutes, re-connecting on Facebook or sending an e-card can remind you of how much love and support surrounds you. I don’t know about you, but I feel a rush of motivation and comfort after a nice phone call with a friend. Simply knowing that my friend “has my back” makes me reach higher and challenge myself even more.
Although distance may be keeping you away from some friendships, we need to be sure we’re reaching out to loved ones we see every day as well. Catch up during a 30 minute walk, meet up at the basketball court, make a healthy dinner together or take a 3-day vacation. Get out of that routine of just saying “hi” and “bye.” We all know time is precious so show all your loved ones you care by taking that extra 10 minutes to devote specially to them.
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