Introducing Interpersonal Relationships

Humans have an innate capacity and desire to express self to others and to listen to others’ expressions. We invest heavily in developing communication skills and other means of “SELF exchange” so as to ensure SELF is not isolated, and so that self is known by self and others to be healthy, with value and purpose.

We invest ourselves in relations with others who choose to learn and care about us and what we need, and whom we choose to know and care about. 

We also long to help and protect others, and we have a deep capacity to be actively compassionate and altruistic.  We personally and relationally benefit both from helping others and from securing the help of others.

Furthermore, we are motivated to form and live amidst social communities. Community life provides us with opportunities to align the self with others of like purpose, mind and spirit.

It is entirely beautiful when a human relates in healthy ways.

Healthy relating involves being able to successfully engage with others in an authentic way. When this engagement is mutual, people show motivation to build up and maintain relationships. Why not keep a good thing going!

Although it may be challenging at times, especially difficult in the beginning stages as strangers, connecting with others over time provides extensive relational opportunity for an enriched life.  It’s a crucial task to master.

Despite its importance, not all people have an active or healthy social life.  There are many reasons for this.

Your role in facilitating social connections is a central life task, so it is important to not just understand what to do in theory, but to also bring it to a healthy place in practice. In a healthy relationship there is always effort, mutuality and action.  Socialization is ultimately about doing, not just knowing.

Relating well is an investment in self, other, community and the world. Learning what relationships are and how to achieve deep connections, seems a great idea.