Social Engagement

Fixing your Friendships Before the Holidays

During the holiday season, you spend much-needed quality time with those you care about the most. For some, it may be the perfect break to finish out the remainder of the year, but for others, it may be a stress-inducing time. For those who feel discomfort, here's a guide to help maintain or repair your relationship with your friends or family. In order to achieve these healthy relationships, we must examine social engagement and positive thinking habits.

Dealing with the root of the problem

The most challenging part in reconnecting a broken bond is the events that transpired that caused a once enjoyable relationship to turn sour. Understanding why the problem exists is the first step to finding forgiveness and getting over the anxiety of reconnecting. Analyze the situation. Did it occur due to honesty or jealousy, and can time heal the wounds? Next, evaluate yourself and ask if the relationship is worth fixing. Some reasons for reconnecting include finding forgiveness in oneself, gaining peace of mind, and some nostalgia along the way.

Reaching out

When you are finally comfortable and understand what caused the family relationship to fall apart in the first place, reach out to the mutual member via text or call. Make sure the purpose of your message is clear, and keep it brief so you can give a more detailed justification when you meet with them in person or over video chat.

Reconnection Mistake

A common mistake people make when attempting to reestablish a connection is waiting too late. Keep in mind that the longer you wait to address any issues you may have with others, the harder it will be to undo any harm that has already been done.

Opening Up and Moving Forward

If the family member is willing to talk, be open to a different perspective and do your best to understand them. Allow yourself the chance to speak freely about how the situation affected you rather than coming off defensive. Also, talk about your reasons for reaching out. Lastly, an apology from both sides is an excellent goal to reach because it provides accountability and creates room for growth in the future.

Nothing happens overnight like many aspects of our lives, from work to relationships. Take these steps on reconnecting with friends or family members as a guide, but also recognize many other variables to consider. Be open and honest with one another, practice self-reflection, and seek professional assistance if you have the resources. That's it from us. We hope you have a happy holiday season, and good luck getting back in touch with your loved ones!

We suggest you challenge yourself to practice all of the habits. It's well documented by the Stanford Center on Longevity that "One of these poor lifestyle habits can lead to other poor lifestyle habits and cause chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity" (GoLively). Our GoLively app is a fantastic tool for developing all of your habits! Click on the link down below!

Living It Up Anywhere

The idea of living your best life can be done anywhere, at any time, and all it really takes is a mindset shift. Take it one core lifestyle habit at a time, whether that is eating healthy and less, daily exercise, quitting bad habits, getting a routine checkup, or being positive. Take a chance today to Live It Up!