Expert Tips
Connecting with Loved Ones
Created By : Kinjal, India
Author: Sarah Maria
Sarah Maria is a body-image expert who helps people learn how to love their bodies and love their lives. Her book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life, will be available in November '09. She combines ancient spiritual wisdom with modern transformational techniques to help people create a body and a life that they love. Her work has been endorsed by well-known authors and spiritual teachers, including Deepak Chopra and Marci Shimoff (featured teacher in The Secret), among others, as well as by numerous physicians and psychologists. Learn more about her and her work at www.breakfreebauty.com.
My parents came to visit me this weekend in Seattle to celebrate my birthday. We had a really wonderful time! We took full advantage of the wonderful cultural events that Seattle has to offer, including a dinner show, a figure skating performance (AMAZING!), and incredible science exhibit of Lucy, a pre-historic human ancestor whose bones were 3.18 million years old.
But what what most incredible was the depth of connection with my parents. We simply had fun together. We laughed and played, and I realized that my parents are some of my closest friends.
This whole weekend taught me some important things about successful relationships:
1.) Close human relationships are vital.
At this juncture in my life, I tend to work a lot. This weekend reminded me the important of taking time to create loving, caring relationships. They take time. It takes time to create the intimacy and trust that is essential in deep, meaningful relationships.
2.) Relationships can be healed. People are always changing.
My parents and my relationship has certainly not always been as close as it is now. I had some very profound challenges with my father in particular. Fortunately, through a good deal of personal growth work I have allowed him to completely be who he is, while I am who I am. If you are stuck in a relationship that is not working, know that you can mend broken relationships, that people do change, and that the connection can be even greater on the other side.
3.) Let go of any expectations. Simply focus on making sure you continue to feel good, and do whatever is necessary to make that happen. Always let people be themselves. The degree of your happiness in a relationship is directly proporionate to the degree you can let people be who they are.
This is such a key point and something I really believe. Everyone wants the freedom to be who they are. If you allow people this freedom, without judgment, you will have a much easier time getting the connection you desire in a relationship.
4.) Nothing substitutes for physical proximity
As I said, I work a lot and right now it is mostly on the computer. Therefore most of my friends are at a distance. Telephone and Internet are amazing, but I nothing substitutes for actual physical connection. That being said, connecting via email or the telephone is certainly better than nothing!
If you do find yourself spending a lot of time alone, experiment with the following visalization.
Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your heart. Focus on opening your heart, expanding outward. Think of people whom you love and send your expanding heart energy out to them. Envision yourself surrounded by people that you love.
Even when you are alone, visualizing yourself surrounded by loved ones, living with an open heart, can help ease feelings of isolation.
Sarah Maria is a body-image expert who helps people learn how to love their bodies and love their lives. Her book, Love Your Body, Love Your Life, will be available in November '09. She combines ancient spiritual wisdom with modern transformational techniques to help people create a body and a life that they love. Her work has been endorsed by well-known authors and spiritual teachers, including Deepak Chopra and Marci Shimoff (featured teacher in The Secret), among others, as well as by numerous physicians and psychologists. Learn more about her and her work at www.breakfreebauty.com.
My parents came to visit me this weekend in Seattle to celebrate my birthday. We had a really wonderful time! We took full advantage of the wonderful cultural events that Seattle has to offer, including a dinner show, a figure skating performance (AMAZING!), and incredible science exhibit of Lucy, a pre-historic human ancestor whose bones were 3.18 million years old.
But what what most incredible was the depth of connection with my parents. We simply had fun together. We laughed and played, and I realized that my parents are some of my closest friends.
This whole weekend taught me some important things about successful relationships:
1.) Close human relationships are vital.
At this juncture in my life, I tend to work a lot. This weekend reminded me the important of taking time to create loving, caring relationships. They take time. It takes time to create the intimacy and trust that is essential in deep, meaningful relationships.
2.) Relationships can be healed. People are always changing.
My parents and my relationship has certainly not always been as close as it is now. I had some very profound challenges with my father in particular. Fortunately, through a good deal of personal growth work I have allowed him to completely be who he is, while I am who I am. If you are stuck in a relationship that is not working, know that you can mend broken relationships, that people do change, and that the connection can be even greater on the other side.
3.) Let go of any expectations. Simply focus on making sure you continue to feel good, and do whatever is necessary to make that happen. Always let people be themselves. The degree of your happiness in a relationship is directly proporionate to the degree you can let people be who they are.
This is such a key point and something I really believe. Everyone wants the freedom to be who they are. If you allow people this freedom, without judgment, you will have a much easier time getting the connection you desire in a relationship.
4.) Nothing substitutes for physical proximity
As I said, I work a lot and right now it is mostly on the computer. Therefore most of my friends are at a distance. Telephone and Internet are amazing, but I nothing substitutes for actual physical connection. That being said, connecting via email or the telephone is certainly better than nothing!
If you do find yourself spending a lot of time alone, experiment with the following visalization.
Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your heart. Focus on opening your heart, expanding outward. Think of people whom you love and send your expanding heart energy out to them. Envision yourself surrounded by people that you love.
Even when you are alone, visualizing yourself surrounded by loved ones, living with an open heart, can help ease feelings of isolation.