September 19, 2020

Quote of the Week

"Connection is why we're here, it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives." -- Brene Brown

Feed Your Hungry Heart With Nurturing Connections

"It's a truism to say that it takes a village to raise a child. But in our modern culture, parents do the heavy lifting for society of raising the next generation of human beings, and they do it with very little social support. Even before the pandemic, individual families had to work overtime to cobble together resources and try to stay sane raising their children in the absence of a village.

So while I hope you're having lots of lovely connection time with your child, we all need warm relationships with other adults. Someone who will listen and commiserate, or simply talk with us about politics or parenting theory instead of legos and lollipops. When we don't get that connection, we may end up looking to our kids, and of course it isn’t appropriate for children to take care of parents emotionally. I know you feel a fountain of love for your child, but you can’t keep all that love flowing if you don’t get some love yourself. Without warm contact with other adults, we end up with hungry hearts.

While it’s true that meeting the needs of our children can take all of our time, there are ways to create the sustenance of adult connection in our daily lives. Yes, even during a pandemic. In fact, during this socially impoverished pandemic, the deepest healing comes from reconnection -- with our values, with nature, with spirit -- and with other people. Here's how." [Read Article]

Reading Corner

Title: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
By: Dr. Vivek Murthy
Stages: All

Why? "While we all experience loneliness, few of us have given it the kind of deep thought and attention that Vivek Murthy has in this beautifully written and utterly fascinating book. In clear, engaging prose, Murthy explains why we feel lonely, how loneliness is harmful for our physical and mental health, and how current societal trends have increased loneliness. He also explores all kinds of innovative and inspiring solutions to help people feel more connected. I found this book totally absorbing and a joy to read. Murthy has such a warm, caring, compassionate voice -- it's like talking with an old friend. And he conveys much of his material through real-life stories that are incredibly moving and relatable. This book will change the way you think about your own experiences with loneliness and about it broader impact on our world. In this time of physical distancing and increasing isolation, this book really couldn't be more important. I highly, highly recommend it! " -- SKH (Amazon Reviewer)

Be the Change

Prioritise Love, as Dr. Markham suggests in this week's article. "Every day, make sure that you have a juicy connection with another adult. Call a friend or sibling while you're doing housework. Set up a quarantini with an old friend. Write a letter of gratitude to someone who mentored you. Be sure your romantic partner knows how much love and appreciation you feel for them. Anything that nurtures you and keeps your heart open gives you more love to share."