How to preserve and maintain yourself and relationships
The last year has shown to all of us how flimsy human relationships and passions really are. The friendfall festival has affected everyone of us and it still does.
Every acquaintance of mine has at some time lamented to me about how, after first reducing by half or three times, their circle of connections has practically completely transformed.
Human relationships have to adapt to the changes in the global system.
All of us are finding it really difficult, and cutting off social connections would only make matters worse. Said another way, "don't have a hundred bucks." Maybe today? In what way can we respond?
Self-support is everything a person can do in a crisis to make himself feel better. This is not to argue that everyone ought to prioritise their own wants.
This suggests that the better we know what supports us, the better we will be able to organise things for ourselves. Though a psychologist can help with this, there are certain things that are better to know, remember, and do even if you do not now have a psychologist.
Think about all the people you want to stay in touch with in the next year. Give them a call, say happy Christmas, and offer to assist if you can.
Someone can be visited, written to, or sat with online and have a bottle of wine. Do this right now even if you don't usually. The relationships need more attention to be maintained because none of them are as strong as they once were.
React a little more often than you would normally to social offers. Though I would now advise you to go, you might not have given playing "Mafia" at an unknown party, having breakfast with new coworkers before work, squash—which you have never played, language club, or attending a fellow student's birthday celebration that he decided to throw for everyone much thought before.
It takes more than usual new connections to fight loneliness.
- Seek for your physical requirements. Chronic stress, at first completely invisible, upsets the coordinated operation of all body systems.
But sometimes you have to consciously and with the help of voluntary efforts get back to normal. Look at sex, food, sports, and sleep in that order of significance.
These are not my inventions; research validates their significance for health. Years can pass between sex, easy illness from eating the wrong things, and bad sleep.
Sports also have greater medical data significance than sex. If having sex is vital to you, though, definitely schedule it.
Do what you think is important. This is especially important during a world emergency as, most of the time, we wonder depressingly, "Why do we need everything?"
Make a closer look at your life and rank the things that are most important to you. The things that probably increase stability now include raising children, looking after oneself, and helping loved ones.
On my list of most difficult tasks is digital hygiene. Try to use the Internet for information more sensibly. Five news stations is a good start.
Choose one channel that offers a good weekly recap and stop there if you find it essential to stay up to date on everything.