Reasons Why Relationships Promote Wellbeing

One of our fundamental needs as human beings is to belong, whether to a place, to a belief, or to a group of people. We spend our lives seeking this belonging to feel seen, loved and anchored. In this blog, we’ll be talking specifically about the importance of choosing the people in our close circle. 

Relationships as Mirrors 

There’s a beautiful quote by Lori Gottlieb that says: “we are mirrors reflecting mirrors, showing one another what we can’t yet see.” These words capture the essence of relationships, whether it’s a familial, friendship or a romantic one. 

The people we let in our close sacred circle are our mirrors, when we look at them we see a reflection of our true self because they know us too well, they see us for who we really are without masks or feeling pressured to hide parts of ourselves to be liked or fit in. They reflect our strengths and allow us to love our weaknesses and create a space where we can work on being the best versions of ourselves. Choosing the right relationships help us have a better relationship with ourselves because we’re seen and loved for who we are, because the mirrors we look at real and genuine, they offer us an honest reflection. 

Yet imagine for a second if you’re looking at the wrong mirror where you see a distorted reflection of who you are, can you imagine how this will impact your self image, your life and your whole being? If you spend most of your time with people who do not know you, who only see their own definition who you are, but not truly seeing your essence.

That’s why it’s so important to know who gets in your close circle, and who has the power to be your mirror.

Relationships that Heal

We’ve all experienced a loss or a heartbreak of any kind, and we can write books on how much it hurts. And although healing takes place through many shapes and forms, one of the beautiful ways we find healing for a broken heart is through connection. Real connections mend what other connections has broke inside us. 

The relationships where we can experience trust, safety, acceptance, respect and love help us on our healing journey to gain back our sense of self, our autonomy and cultivate compassion. These healthy relationships are our life evidence and corrective experiences that help us move on from old narratives and regain our trust in people again. 

So, for example, if you’ve been abandoned by a friend, but after a while you met another friend that proved to you that they can be worthy of your trust and helped you feel safe again, this is a healing relationship, because it freed you from what has been shackling you. 

Choosing the Right Relationships

Trust your inner compass when you’re forming new relationships. Be observant for a while and don’t jump straight in, notice how they make you feel after you spend some time with them, see if you have the same values, if they make you feel accepted, not judged, safe and whether they help bring the best version inside you. 

Always remember that we become who we spend the most time with, so choose them wisely, and do the inner work to bond with healthier relationships that match the quality of the life you work towards.