Which relationships are important in your life?

Relationships are a beautiful part of life, but also a part of life that can come with great pain.  As we go through life, it can be helpful to think about and check-in with yourself about what relationships are important to you.  As you consider that in your life it can be helpful to think about what certain relationships bring to your life. Sometimes we can stay in certain relationships that are bringing more toxicity than they are bringing good things to our life.  Evaluating what certain people bring to your life can hopefully help you realize which people are actually bringing value to your life. 

As you evaluate what certain relationships bring to your life, it can be helpful to think about the reciprocation and energy you receive from people.  The relationships that are important to us should involve a certain amount of reciprocation.  When someone reciprocates the energy we are putting into a relationship it can help it to grow and feel more and more important to us. Also, as you consider what relationships are important to you, consider the history you have with the particular relationship you are considering.  Sometimes the history you have with someone, in and of itself, makes the relationship important to you and worth continuing to make a priority in your life.

While considering what relationships are important to you try to keep in mind quality versus quantity.  Certain parts of society might promote having a lot of relationships in your life, but in reality, it is better to have a few quality relationships.  There is no magic number there to shoot for, but try to stay focused on the quality of the relationships in your life versus making a bunch of relationships.  Try to keep in mind a balance as well rather than too much dependence on one specific relationship in your life.  If you are too dependent on one important relationship in your life, that can set you up for failure should anything go wrong in that relationship.  That can also lead to severe mental health issues, such as depression.