Summer Glow-Up: Chapter #3 - Support System & Social Media Consumption
With the rise of social media in the past decade, it seems that we’re constantly living in a world filled with FOMO and fear that we’re not doing enough. Apps that were meant to connect more individuals are seeing the opposite: a disconnect between relationships. So, how do we strengthen our current relationships? Keep reading to find out!
First off, how does having a strong support system help your overall mental well-being?
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, feeling love and a sense of belonging falls right after basic needs as a psychological need! This includes building intimate relationships with friends, family and acquaintances. Humans are built to connect with each other through love and affection, thus, it’s important to have a strong support system for your mental well-being!
Here are 4 ways to strengthen your current relationships!
- Show your appreciation for the relationships you have. Some great ways to show appreciation are telling them directly how you feel about them, giving them a gift as a token of gratitude, and helping them through their struggles. A regret that people fear to face is not cherishing their loved ones enough, and oftentimes, this isn’t intentional. We get distracted with work, school, etc. Thus, this is a reminder to show your appreciation!
- Set boundaries! Everyone has different boundaries to be set, but no one knows what your boundaries are until you explicitly tell them. Be vocal about what you need and want out of your relationships, and if someone steps over the boundary, say something.
- Have effective communication. Going off about boundaries and being vocal about your needs, this all comes down to communication. Allow growth in your relationships by listening to what they have to say, along with speaking up on your own needs.
- Lastly, be vulnerable. Tell your loved ones about your goals, update them on new things in your life, etc. Do this with whatever you’re comfortable with sharing! We all have a different threshold of vulnerability and that’s perfectly fine. However, letting our loved ones into our lives not only strengthens the bond, but you’ll feel external support as well!
Heartwarming Gifts for Your Loved Ones
Sterling Silver Live Laugh Love Signature Bracelet
Social Media Consumption
Social media was meant to connect people despite the distance. This has helped people who live far away from loved ones tremendously!
However, too much usage of social media reduces the time people are present in their lives. We’re seeing people pick up their phones whenever they have nothing else to do and just start to scroll.
High usage of social media is linked to increased levels of depression and anxiety. This is due to people feeling a sense of “FOMO” or fear of missing out, overwhelmed with the abundance of information on the internet, etc.
A few tips to limit social media usage is being mindful of WHAT you are consuming, and tracking the number of hours you spend on social media daily. Consume only what makes you feel content and happy to see, and limit time spent on everything else.
Resources
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/friendship-20/201809/10-quick-ways-strengthen-friendship
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7364393/
Thanks for joining us for Chapter #3: Support System and Social Media Consumption. Come back next week for the final chapter on this summer glow-up series!