Refresh Your Relationships

As humans, we crave connection. Whether it's with a community of friends, coworkers, family, or even the local mail person, connecting with people is key to our health and wellness. It helps lower our stress, boosts our self-esteem, and so much more. But you're not alone if it's feeling tough to do that right now. So many of our normal ways of connecting are off the table. And if the Zoom calls and group chats are starting to feel like a chore, it makes sense. You're probably craving a new way to connect. And today we'll reflect on how you can do just that by repotting your relationships. Repotting is a term used by digital strategist Ryan Hubbard. It simply means finding ways to switch up how you connect with the people in your life. Because just like when a plant needs fresh soil to grow, our friendships can sometimes need the same. And the change can help create new momentum in the relationship. Grab your journal for today's exercise. Feel free to hit pause if you need to get your materials. And if journaling isn't available to you, reflect mentally today. Let's start by getting grounded with some deep breaths. Find a comfortable position. Take a deep inhale in through your nose and exhale out through your mouth. Inhale and exhale. Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze. And take another deep breath in and out. Let your chin drop to your chest and take a few gentle neck rolls. Settle back to a stillness. And take some time to allow your mind to arrive in this moment. If you're journaling, gently open your eyes. If you're mentally reflecting, you're welcome to keep them closed. Let's start with a brief relationship check-in. What are your current friendships and community connections? Take the next minute to journal or reflect. Remember, this is just for you, so be as honest as you can. Great job. From this reflection, notice what is working for you in these relationships and write those down. How are they serving you? Now identify what you feel is missing from these relationships. Maybe it's a sense of shared experience or more regular check-ins or even just something new to talk about. Write these things down without judgment. Nice work. Now let's take time to brainstorm ways you can repot your relationships. One way to do this is to combine something you love with a moment to connect with someone. So begin by writing a list of things you enjoy doing. What activities or things bring you joy in your life? I'll give you some time to free write. Great job. Looking at your list, what are some new ways you can bring these things into your relationships? Maybe you enjoy cooking. What about setting up a video call with some friends and trying a new recipe together? Or maybe you enjoy exercise and want to follow an instructor with a friend. Or maybe you're interested in...