Your relationships could be a great source of health and happiness, or a great source of… problems. Your relationships with your spouse, children, family members, friends and co-workers, deserve love and respect, and no one has the right to hurt anyone. Supposedly, a good relationship will lift you up, not drag you down; but for some people, the reality may be different.
Relationships influence health, and vice versa. This is a two way street. Sometimes people are sick because of their relationships; sometimes their relationship is sick because of their poor mental or physical health. The next time you say: “My relationship is…” think about your physical/mental health. When talking about a connection, you think of feelings toward somebody; how much you love or hate that person. These feelings will shape your life. When connection with others does not work, and sucks the happiness out of you, it is not an easy to find out what is wrong: health or the relationship or both. As a rule, we always blame other person and try to change them, which is impossible.
The truth is that painful relationships do exist. Relationships do have an influence on how you feel about yourself, particularly on your self-esteem. Your liaisons could the source of self-respect or… could drain your self-respect. When your self-esteem, self- confidence or self-respect goes down, your stress and anxiety go up. Your immune response goes down, so you might get sick. Yes, because of bad relationships you can get sick. This is the mind-body connection at work.
It is not easy to remain positive when negativity surrounds you, but remember that you have full control over your attitude and who you have by your side.
Unfortunately, if you have poor relationships at work, your relationships at home can suffer as well, for no other reason than your stress at work. A bad work environment will raise your stress, and decrease your emotional and physical health. You will have no energy for your relationships with your family. In the end, you have two negative connections: with family members and with co-workers. All failed relationships hurt, but all negative relationships that still exist do the same.
Now, what can good relationships do for your health? Literally, miracles.
Ask any medical professional about the unbelievable healing power of a loved one, and you will be surprised. Medicine has no explanation for how a mother can lift a car to save her child, or how touch from loved one can heal a wound, or save a person’s life. Love is healing energy which works. Having a good connection with people is health and happiness itself. Remember: your immune system is watching your relationships, and your nervous system responds accordingly. Spending time with one who loves and respects you is like having a ticket to heaven.
What is the strongest relationship? No doubt it is the connection between a mother and her child.