Have you ever noticed that the hardest part of the day is bedtime? That’s because you are no longer busy, you are no longer distracted, and you can easily fall victim to your own thoughts. Having a strong support system means sharing as much detail as you feel comfortable sharing with a group of friends or mentors who will willingly receive those 2 a.m. calls when you can’t sleep due to the anxiety. Having people that you connect with in this way is essential to the healing process.
This is more essential for the give up and die types, as well as the flight types. Avoiding a problem, ignoring it, or not stopping to try and heal from it, tends to make us withdraw from those who could help us. If we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist, right? Has that ever actually worked? Instead, plan on staying very close to the friends and family that you have. You don’t have to share everything with everyone, but there are surely some loyal people in your life who wouldn’t mind keeping you in their prayers, calling in to check on you, or taking you out to lunch to help you keep your mind off things. There are psychological benefits to being part of a “tribe” of people, whether blood relatives or friends who are as close as family, but without the squabbling.
- People in a close knit social group are free to be real with one another.
- The commitment of family or friends is a comfort, especially when we are feeling otherwise abandoned.
- Friends and family provide uplifting and encouraging communication when we are at a loss for positive thought.
- Stress levels are dramatically reduced when spending time in the company of our closest social circle.
- Time with positive friends and family can be considered a spiritual thing, uplifting our emotions, and causing us to look beyond ourselves and our situations.
Be sure to share and connect with people who will encourage you in the choices you are making to stand for your marriage.
Self-Reflection
Are you intentionally or unintentionally isolating yourself from others as a reaction to pain?