Hello Zennies! We would like to talk about unexpected change. Change is hard even we you initiate it. When change is unexpected or unplanned it can be down right devastating. The loss of a loved one, a relationship, a job, or a change in the condition of your health or the health of a loved one are among some of the ways you may be forced to confront change. As our society becomes more and more unpredictable, we would like to give some advice on how to deal with sudden change and how to re-establish balance to your life.
When unexpected change occurs the first thing you should do is seek support. Support can be in the form of family and friends as well as agencies and organizations. Seeking support allows you to channel the anxiety of uncertainty into action. Next, calm down. Remind yourself that you have overcome obstacles before and you will again. Also look to those who have faced trials similar to yours and have overcome them. Lastly, develop a plan of action. Make a detailed plan of how you plan to address sudden change. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments when necessary. When an unexpected situation arises, a situation you’ve never experienced before, you may have to make changes as you address the problem to achieve the desired result. Be willing to do so. We cannot always plan for change but we don’t have to be consumed by it!
Friendship
Hello Zennies! We would like to discuss the importance of friendships! Real, authentic, lasting friendships. There have been numerous studies done regarding the positive benefits associated with having friendships and there are many! Healthy friendships promote mental/emotional and physical health and aid in the reduction of stress and anxiety. So what constitutes a healthy friendship? Healthy friendships have the following elements: Consideration, empathy, commonalities, trust, respect, and reciprocity. Consideration for your feelings, empathy to demonstrate an understanding of your experiences and perspective, commonalities because the strongest friendships tend to be those where both parties share similar interests, trust because all healthy relationships must have a foundation of trust in order to grow. Respect is crucial to a healthy friendship as respect is the most important boundary in all relationships. Reciprocity is important because it requires you to be the kind of friend you want to have. In short, healthy friendships are friendships where you do not feel exploited, devalued, or misused. And while we acknowledge the importance and prevalence of friends acquired via social media, we want to emphasize the necessity of friendships that are actually present in your day to day life as these are the friendships that will provide you with the most support.