The relationship domain is an essential aspect of self-care. We want to ensure that we make time for and spend time with people who are good to us. “Good” can leave too much room for interpretation. What you should be looking for are behaviors such as encouragement, respect, consideration, loyalty, and supporting/believing in you. This includes the trust that you will be respected when you need to advocate for your needs and/or say no at times. These are also the people who should listen to you when you become upset, whether it requires empathetic or sympathetic listening on their part. This is not exclusively defined by romantic relationships. The bonds you share with family, friends, and colleagues contribute to this domain as well (one of my most significant relationships is with my mom, who happens to be the best – I may be a little biased).
*** Dr. MC Disclaimer: If you are reading this and feel that you do not have people like this in your life, I strongly encourage you to seek the support of a therapist, counselor, or group of like-minded individuals to help foster this domain. This is a critical aspect of self-care and can be the hardest to come by/sustain.
That being said, yesterday was Valentine’s Day, and I will say I am truly blessed as my husband is an incredible partner. That is not to say that every day is sunshine and butterflies. All relationships require work and maintenance to stay healthy and to keep those lines of communication open.
A couple of months ago, Jeff and I were asked to share our story with The Theatre Fund (TDF), a non-profit organization in NYC dedicated to bringing the power of performing arts to everyone. TDF was looking for couples whose love story was either theatre-related or tangential to the performing arts; we happened to have both! They loved our submission so much that it became their Valentine’s Day-themed post on their website. <3
It was an excellent reflection exercise for us, especially during these challenging times, to write for TDF. We laughed, cried, and even rolled our eyes once or twice, reminiscing about the work that went into creating our dream wedding. It even inspired us to finish hanging the prints from our wedding that we had not completed since moving into the home.
I am so excited to share this story with you. The TDF blog was only able to showcase one photograph; however, I thought it would be fun to share more with you to get a feel for the spectacle. May 9, 2021, will mark our 6th wedding anniversary with 12 years together and a lifetime to go. Cheers!
Please enjoy the photo gallery below. My wedding photographer, Tara Lynn Sen was awesome-sauce.
As my husband would say, whether you are married AF, or single-as-a-pringle, or anywhere in between, I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day in any way you chose to celebrate!
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Love,
Dr. MC
