Relationship With Self. The Most Important One There Is.

Connection with others is what makes us humans feel safe, happy and fulfilled. This, however, is not the only relationship that is necessary for a joyous life. The relationship with one's self, if not properly cultivated, can lead to stress, anxiety, depression and a whole host of other mental health issues, including a perpetual feeling of being disconnected.

In order to properly feel connected to others, the relationship with your self must be attended to and cared for much in the way we take care of a baby. We spend every waking hour in our own skin and becoming our best ally is vital in order to create loving relationships with others. When we are connected to ourselves, we feel confident, strong, and independent. Only by taking care of ourselves can we be there for others.

Many people lose themselves in the pursuit of their goals and taking care of others. Extreme trauma and personal life stressors even further disconnect us from ourselves. Disconnection from self does not help others in any way as we cannot pour from an empty vessel. By taking care of ourselves first, we can cultivate happiness and health in others as well.

It may seem selfish at first, especially if you learned that you are underserving of self-care, but in fact it is not. We are responsible for taking care of ourselves and no one else can do this for us. With a loving and accepting relationship with self, relationships with others are more fulfilling, interdependent and healthy. By loving the self, we can set better boundaries and know when something is off. By respecting ourselves we can take the proper steps to remove ourselves from the situations that no longer serve us.

As we self-care, we will find that relationships with others are less strained. Less expectations of others lead to less mistreatment and abuse. Relationships can then become a place of safety and unconditional love where all parties can express their deepest needs and desires without judgment.

So how does one properly take care of oneself? To begin, taking time to be alone is the number one way to get in touch with yourself. Away from all familial and societal influences, we can get in touch with what we really want and get to know ourselves in an intimate way. Sometimes something as simple as taking a walk can be extremely fulfilling as it promotes inner peace and healthy self-reflection.

Self-love is also about self-acceptance. When we start to accept ourselves unconditionally, we can soften our defense mechanisms and be more available to others. Emotional availability can be especially difficult for those who have been through trauma. Therefore, healing and nurturing the self allows us to know ourselves without the need for outside validation. When we don't need others to approve of us then we are free to be ourselves and come to love our perceived flaws as our unique differences.

In addition, learning a new skill and accomplishing something great alone can go a long way in building a loving relationship with yourself. So often we look to others to tell us that we are enough, not realizing that this is already the case. When we prove to ourselves that we are not reliant on others to feel accomplished, we can feel a sense of contentment and pride that builds confidence and happiness within.

Doing fun activities, going on a vacation to a new location, exercising, going to a restaurant alone, watching a romantic comedy and laughing, and nonjudgmental self-talk are all ways in which we can strengthen our relationship with ourselves. When we spend time with other like-minded individuals who share their own personal stories of growth, we can become inspired to be the best we can be without the need of others to validate us.

If we want to be happy and connected, we must know ourselves outside of the pressures and stressors that are constantly around us. As we enjoy this relationship and fully embrace ourselves, we will be better be able to connect to all human beings and create a more interconnected world.

Healingglobaldisconnect.com