Something you might have been neglecting for ages but very essential to your health is your family ties. Researches have shown that the healthiness of these ties has a direct correlation with your wellness. I think it is time you looked in that direction and see what you can do to strengthen your family ties as the season of get-togethers arrives.
Let’s start this way. You and I know that the establishment of family ties is not your decision. Your birth determined that long ago. But you are in control of a willpower that can propel things to make sure your family ties are all healthy. A willpower that can make your family bonds stronger or severe them. But what is good for you is to tighten the bonds and close the gaps.
Findings strongly indicate that your wellbeing can benefit massively from healthy family relationships and as well can suffer deadly blows from unhealthy ones. Having healthy family ties can also improve your mental health and your productivity.
One thing that helps you build a healthy relationship with your family members is sensitivity to other people’s feelings. Candidly, it sounds simple but it is really complex. In fact, it goes beyond adults alone, children also need these qualities so that our relationships with others can remain healthy.
Individuals have private lives full of challenges that they may want to keep out of public glare. This must be respected every time and always.
At a party or family gathering for instance, all you want to do is to help others enjoy the moment, not anything otherwise. So, devastating issues that are likely to open healed wounds may not be raised. It’s time for celebration not time for bitter arguments.
You may not want to broach embarrassing topics such as someone’s indebtedness, failed marriage, drug rehab program, joblessness and others like them. Of course, these are vital issues that must be appropriately dealt with but they are as well unflattering. And no one likes to be diminished in front of the others.
You must give them all the space they need. This does not mean you don’t get-together with them. Yes, you get-together with them, but don’t broach any topic about their private life. If not your get-togethers may turn counterproductive.
But where they bring up something private themselves, then it becomes a moral duty that you give them the support they need and are yearning for. Yet you must be sensitive enough to be able to gauge their emotions and readiness to confide in you. If not, you might get carried away and start pushing for more information. You don’t want to manipulate their vulnerability at this moment, do you?
On the other hand, diplomacy is another tool needed in dealing with people you are related with. Whether you like it or not, there are people that you cannot just go along with. You call people like this difficult people. If they were acquaintances, neighbours, colleagues at work or even friends, you can so easily avoid them. This is not easy with family members. So how do you manage them?
What you need is understanding and acceptance. Except you come to understand individual differences and accordingly relate with them, and be ready to accept them as they are, you are unlikely to have a healthy relationship with them. Of course, you will still have reasons to be unhappy with them at times, but with diplomacy, your relationship with them will be mostly cordial.
It is a matter of give and take.