People are social creatures – even those who are introverted or ‘don’t like people.’ We like to talk to people we like and spend time with people who give us energy.
It’s nice to share what is going on in your life, what you’ve been up to, and how you’ve been feeling. In general longer, deeper, and more meaningful conversations are even better.
After the small talk of ‘how are you and how is work’, with the short answers ‘fine and fine’ what happens? Small talk is on the surface and very basic in terms of talking. In the grand scheme of things, small talk is neutral; isn’t positive or negative.
Burdens
If we are going through a challenge, many people want to keep that to themselves. Keeping their difficulties, struggles, and worries to themselves.
Over time this builds up into something that can be very damaging.
We have an unhealthy association with struggling and weakness. In an effort to not appear weak – we bottle things up.
Talking to friends, family, or even a counselor allows us to release that burden. Something that might become apparent is that after you speak about the challenge, you might immediately feel better.
Honesty
Being honest with others is a challenge. Telling people how you are feeling can be a considerable step in beginning to feel supported, understood, and taken care of, but it’s not easy because of our fears of rejection or being vulnerable.
Talking about emotions with friends and family isn’t always easy because it can cause other people to believe you are talking about them.
Some emotional conversations about feelings are blurted out in the heat of the moment.
Planning the conversation allows you to think about the most important things to say. It’s a more mature and responsible way to discuss your feelings.
When we are honest about how we feel, what is going well, and what isn’t, a certain peace and confidence come with being authentic and genuine. When we feel like people understand us and we are accepted, that is pretty powerful stuff.
Stress relief
Even if you choose not to talk about what is troubling you, talking releases a lot of stress, when you have a healthy and well-maintained relationship, you can speak freely about anything – but you can also just laugh.
Laughing is one of the best things you can do to combat stress and cheer yourself up a bit.
According to research, acts of kindness can trigger the release of stress-relieving chemicals. Personal connections also provide a feeling of well-being and emotional stability, contributing to reduced stress.
Support
People can’t help and support you if they don’t know what you are going through. One of the critical benefits of talking is that it means people around you understand and see what you are going through, and you can be honest with them about your needs.
Support is a vital part of managing mental health.
If you are interested in more mental health help, check out 6 Paths To Better Mental Health – Middletown Media.
