Buffalo seasons Awareness in life
Bridges & Boundaries: Relational Wellbeing
Relationships spread across family (parents, siblings, spouses/partners, children, grandparents, etc.); work (co-workers, bosses, supervisors, contractors, consultants, clients, patients, etc.); friends (school, college, sports, arts, etc.); and community (neighborhoods, spiritual / religious, collectives, groups, volunteerism, etc.).
In our post-modern 21st century world—comprised of social media influencers, online gaming, work-from-home opportunities, live coverage of wars being waged, artificial intelligence, and fallout from the global coronavirus pandemic, to name but a few—humanity’s relational wellness has been threatened.
And the threats are real.
Social Connectivity: How to Halt An Epidemic of Loneliness & Isolation
Social connectivity can be understood through relationships spread across family (parents, siblings, spouses/partners, children, grandparents, etc.); work (co-workers, bosses, supervisors, contractors, consultants, clients, patients, etc.); friends (school, college, sports, arts, etc.); and community (neighborhoods, spiritual / religious, collectives, groups, volunteerism, etc.). Researchers found that social connectivity can decrease the risk of developing and worsening major physical and mental health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, dementia, and diabetes.
Be the buffalo & Head Into the Storm
Resilience is your ability to rebound from life challenges—not by avoiding them—but by facing them head on like the buffalo. The American Bison, also known as the Buffalo, serves well as a metaphor for resilience. While domesticated cattle try to outrun a storm, buffalo instinctually know that to outrun a storm is impossible. They face the storm head on and are rewarded for their strength and ability to rebound: Buffalo suffer less, conserve energy, and spend far less time in the freezing rain, drizzle, high winds, snow, and more. In contrast, domesticated cattle suffer longer, exert more energy, and spend more time in the chaotic rise and fall of a storm. Human storms can arise from myriad wells: Infidelity or mistrust in a marriage, the death of a loved one, panic attacks of unknown origins, depression, existential angst, or a major life transition. Yet, there is purpose and meaning beyond ourselves in such storms; it is that which can be understood.
Where is Your Life Leading You?
Wherever you are, autumn is a time of reflection. A time of letting go. A time of nurturing our energies for the long days of winter. Consider how you can use this time to determine what is important to you, what sustains you, and what no longer serves you. Autumn is a time to ask: Where is my life leading me? And what would I need to recalibrate to get there?