Love Has a Profound Impact on Your Well-Being

If this Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that the relationships we have with others should be cherished and prioritized. While your career and personal circumstances can change on a whim – for better or for worse, your loved ones are supposed to be there to support you through it all. Being able to give and receive love is so integral to our lives that it is considered a basic human need. As one of the six major components of well-being, love is one of the foundations of life and is key to achieving great overall well-being.

So why is, then, that so many people continue to downplay the importance of their family and best friends?

Why do they unwillingly take their loved ones for granted, expecting so much from them while often, not giving back in return?

Why do they spend our downtime at home scrolling through social media, catching-up on the latest Netflix release, rather than spending quality time with the most important people in their lives?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE – IT’S A TREND

If you recognize yourself in any of the above questions, you are not alone. These days, there are increasing demands being asked of us on both professional and personal levels. We’re expected to be the best employee at work, the best parent at home, the best friend, the best sibling, etc., all while facing pressure to also go to the gym regularly, keep our mental health in check, start a side hustle business – and the list goes on and on.

And to add to that, so many on social media watching and commenting on your every move. With our attention being pulled in so many directions, it’s only natural to drop the ball in certain areas of our life. Unfortunately, those who are closest to us usually suffer as a result.

WE ALL NEED PEOPLE TO LOVE

First off, when we say loved ones, we mean anyone in your life that you consider close to you. This can include spouses, partners, kids, family members and close friends that are like family to you. All of these key relationships in your life can directly impact your Loved Ones element of well-being.

Having people in your life that are near and dear to you doesn’t mean that you automatically excel in this component of well-being. Strong and healthy relationships don’t happen overnight, and they can disappear quickly if you’re not careful. Happy and fulfilling relationships are the result of ongoing hard work, dedication and healthy communication. Many people have simply forgotten that their relationships with their loved ones need their attention. Luckily, taking the time to assess this element of well-being comes with a whole bunch of benefits.

WE ALL NEED TO FEEL LOVED BY OTHERS With these relationships in mind, do you feel loved and cared for in your life?

Do you also feel like you are doing your best to love and care for the ones you love?

While we all filter our love interactions differently, love can typically be given and received through words, actions and behaviors. If thinking of interactions with your loved ones makes you feel warm and secure right now, then you probably are on the right track when it comes to this element of well-being.

However, if these interactions make you feel stressed or upset, then there is likely room for improvement. Relationships can be tough and if you don’t take the time to work on them, you can suddenly find yourself complacent with being unhappy.

Sometimes, simply realizing that you need to learn how to communicate more effectively with your spouse could be the turning point that helps save your marriage. Going home at the end of a long day of work should always feel like a positive experience rather than a negative one. But don’t worry if it doesn’t feel that way right now, it doesn’t take much to change it and we’re here to help.

ONE OF SIX ELEMENTS People often think about wellness in terms of physical health – nutrition, exercise, weight management, etc. – but it’s so much more than just that. Well-being is made up of positive, meaningful and happy outcomes that lead to happiness, health, satisfaction and prosperity. It is how one feels regarding their life as a whole, which is why overall well-being consists of six key elements.

You might personally feel like you’re doing great with your loved ones and that there’s nothing for you to improve on in your relationships. This is a great sign because it means that you likely are doing well in this particular element. But just because you’re at 100% in the Loved Ones element, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are at 100% in the other five well-being elements. We strongly suggest taking an honest look at all six elements every few months to ensure that you are doing well in all areas of your life. It’s time to take charge of your well-being and stop leaving it up to chance.

To help you do that, the Strengths Performance Centre developed a well-being self-assessment program that can be used to measure all six of the elements that make up our overall well-being: work and career, loved ones, emotional and mental, interaction with others, physical, and financial. We’ve also added a section for you to lean-into your natural talents, your Strengths, in order for you to be at your ultimate best.

Reach out to us today by phone (613-421-4722 ext. 7) or email (well-being@StrengthsPerformance.com) to learn more about how this self-assessment tool can help you, your loved ones and your organization develop healthy well-being habits that will lead to happiness, health, satisfaction and prosperity.

Best of all, it can help lead you in the right direction so that you can learn to connect and be present with your loved ones.

Co-authored by Antoine Carrière & Julia Borsellino