Family Ties
Every year, my family takes a family vacation during the summer months to a new destination. One year it was Germany, the next Norway, and last year was supposed to be no different with a trip to Austria. However, as it was with most people, those plans got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While disappointing, it wasn’t until now, after vaccinations, tests, and a lot of back and forth on whether we were making responsible choices when we were able to reunite once again (this year we kept it stateside) that it fully hit just how much I missed that quality time together.
This naturally got me thinking, making it a priority to spend time with family and loved ones, whether blood or chosen, is such a savvy thing to do because, as it turns out, there are many benefits of spending time with family. According to Dr. Todd Thatcher from Highland Springs Clinic, there are significant reasons spending time with family is good for your well being. Those are:
Improves mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression
The feeling of being valued and appreciated builds self-confidence
Promotes healthy conflict resolution skills by finding ways to resolve those inevitable family disagreements
Provides a sense of meaning and purpose, which is conducive to feelings of motivation and inspiration
Can lend to a healthier lifestyle
Helps children by reducing behavioral problems and increases their ability to perform better academically
All of the mental and physical benefits above can lead to a longer lifespan
The past year has been difficult for many people, but if we turn to family when times get tough we can get through anything. So we encourage you to make some time in the upcoming few days to connect and reset with those loved ones that allow you to do all of the savvy things mentioned above.
Let us know how your family helps you in the comments below!
Photo by Jamez Picard on Unsplash
