Grateful to have you! I'm Brittani, a relationship therapist, yogi, writer, runner, and latte lover. Each week you'll receive thought-provoking letters written to generate insights toward creating resilient, intimate relationships.
The Search for Genuine Belonging
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The Search for Genuine Belonging "Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling—it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity. And the harmful consequences of a society that lacks social connection can be felt in our schools, workplaces, and civic organizations, where performance, productivity, and engagement are diminished." Viveck H Murthy, US Surgeon General. Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community What is loneliness? Loneliness stems far beyond a brief feeling; it's compounding thoughts, beliefs, and emotions integrated into our psyche that impact our relatability to ourselves and others. Loneliness exists as an individual experience, societal virus, and nationwide epidemic. We're hardwired for connection, and I'm here to (forever) explore how we create genuine belonging. I don't have answers (if I did, I would be an influencer), but I'm here to theorize, hypothesize, and get curious about strengthening relationships on the spectrum from individual to societal levels. Social Media: Here we go. Honestly, I didn't want to get into social media, but we can't ignore its impact on all of us. One of the greatest hypocrisies would be to call social media a "connection" or "community." Social media is a communication channel with significant power to serve as touch points, potentially leading to meaningful relationships. However, there's no denying the mental health crisis induced by social media, particularly among teenage girls. Deficits in self-esteem lead further down the dark abyss of never feeling enough. For every flaw, trend, or pain point, exists a product to solve all your problems. We find ourselves stuck in the cycle of influencers telling us why we need to make more money, buy this skin care creme, take this protein powder, or buy this program that will cure all your problems. It's hard to feel connected on platforms that consistently share the message of why you need to be better. (That concludes my Ted Talk on social media). Evolve Towards Connection. Often, we separate individualism from collectivism. Individualism emphasizes one's freedoms, achievements, and personal purpose- often associated with western cultures. Collectivism emphasizes shared goals, group cohesion, and social identity- often associated with eastern cultures. What if these concepts aren't separate but fluid? If you go deep into the mind of the individual, you may find the collective because, in truth, our core needs to belong, be loved, and have a sense of self exist fundamentally in all of us. Those who may not feel lonely now may have experienced loneliness in the past. You can understand what it's like to question, "Am I loveable? Do I belong?" It's human to ask these deep, existential questions about ourselves. It doesn't make it less painful, but it does mean we're not alone in this experience. Turn the lens on you:
Stay Connected, Brittani |
Lessons In Intimacy
Grateful to have you! I'm Brittani, a relationship therapist, yogi, writer, runner, and latte lover. Each week you'll receive thought-provoking letters written to generate insights toward creating resilient, intimate relationships.