The hidden superpower you're not using

Do you want to be happier, healthier, live longer, achieve more, increase your emotional intelligence, and raise your social skills?

I would hope so, because if not that’s weird.

If you're not weird, then you’re probably wondering how you can reap all these benefits.

We’ll get to that in a bit.

First, I want to tell you a story. Get your popcorn ladies and gentlemen, it’s gonna be a good one.

Back in my sophomore year of high school, I was at the gym with two friends of mine. After finishing our workout, we decided to walk to the nearest shopping center and get some Jamba Juice.

We got our smoothies, sat down, and started talking.

About 10 minutes into our conversation, the topic of religion popped up.

Important note: I’m a Christian, my one friend is a Muslim, and my third friend is agnostic.

These differences in views allowed us to understand each other on a deeper level.

We talked for about 3 hours, but it felt like 10 minutes.

Later that night we decided to create a group chat to schedule future talks like the one we had.

We named it “Religious Purposes Only.”

Ironically, our conversations quickly evolved into other topics like relationships, family, and mental health (religion still remained a huge part of it).

Although we aren’t living close to each other now, we still try to keep up in our conversations.

The end.

Well…not exactly.

Only when I looked back did I realize the significance of these talks.

And you’re probably still wondering, what is the key to all the benefits I listed earlier?

The key is this:

Deep talks.

Having heart-to-heart conversations creates strong bonds between us and those we’re talking to.

These connections completely change our lives for the better. I strongly believe they are the biggest contributor (outside of religion) that has propelled my personal growth.

And I think it can for you too. Don’t believe me?

Check out the seven biggest benefits of forging meaningful relationships:

1. Emotional Support

- Strong relationships offer emotional support that helps individuals through difficult times.

- Study Source: "Social Support and Recovery in Drug Addicts: A Review Article" (PubMed)

2. Sense of Belonging

- Feeling connected to others enhances self-esteem and provides a sense of purpose and belonging.

- Study Source: "Social Belongingness Satisfaction as a Function of Interaction Medium" (APA PsycNet)

3. Physical Health

- Studies show that good relationships can lower stress hormones, leading to better physical health outcomes like lower blood pressure.

- Study Source: "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review" (PLOS Medicine)

4. Accountability

- In terms of self-improvement or reaching goals, having someone to hold you accountable can be highly effective.

- Study Source: "The Impact of Accountability on U.S. Federal Agency Performance and Reputation" (JSTOR)

5. Happiness Boost

- Positive interactions with friends and family can release endorphins, which increase feelings of happiness and reduce stress.

- Study Source: "Endorphins and Exercise" (PubMed)

6. Social Learning

- Relationships offer opportunities for social and emotional learning, improving communication and interpersonal skills.

- Study Source: "Social Learning Theory and Organizational Justice: Investigating the Fairness of Work Outcomes" (APA PsycNet)

7. Longevity

- Several studies indicate that strong social relationships contribute to a longer life.

- Study Source: "Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review" (PLOS Medicine)

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Believe it or not, you're not gonna grow just by reading this.

You need to take action.

So, how do you apply it to your life?

Vulnerability.

Scary word, I know.

Most of us see vulnerability as a weakness, but it’s necessary to build strong connections.

It’s important to note that we must be vulnerable with the right people. People that we trust, feel comfortable with and want what’s best for us.

Most of the time this is friends or family, but it doesn’t have to be.

Whoever it is, we have to open up and ask the right questions without being pushy.

And that’s exactly what we’re gonna talk about next week.

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Hope you enjoyed this week’s post. Please share with family and friends if you did.

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but there’s too much information to fit it all here.

Next week we’ll dive into how to apply these ideas and ask great questions.

In the meantime, ask yourself this: “Am I satisfied with all my relationships?”

Have your answer ready for next week.

Keep making progress. Change for the better. Live the Heming-way.

See you next Monday,

Trevor