DON’T NEGLECT YOUR LOVED ONES
It’s easy to slip into patterns where you barely get in touch with the people you care about – but it’s time to reconnect
One of my New Year’s resolutions was to stop texting the people that I care about. For some reason over the last few years, I’ve tended to text my close friends and family rather than calling them for a chat. Close relationships require investment, and that can only come when you are truly aware of what is going on in the lives of those closest to you. A new survey has found that the British public know more about celebs than their own family, with 80% admitting that they know less about the lives of their parents than that of famous folk. If you relate to this survey, start rethinking your communication style, and putting more effort into the relationships that you cherish, because you never know when the opportunity to spend time with the people you love will come to an end. You can’t have deep and meaningful relationships with everyone you know, but you should try to make time for the people that bring you the most joy. These kinds of connections are priceless. Prioritising and planning is key, so it can help to schedule calls and socials. As you get into the habit of regularly seeing and speaking to one another, your bonds will strengthen. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a loving and supportive family, then friends can absolutely fill that void. And if you don’t currently have any strong relationships, try cultivating some by trying a new interest, or using a friend app such as Friender. Research repeatedly shows us that the biggest regret people have in life is not dedicating enough time to the people they love, so if you know you have been neglecting yours, remedy the situation.