he other day, I had a phone conversation with a younger relative of mine.

The environment children grow up in today is completely different from when I was little. Almost everyone has a smartphone, and they are constantly connected through games and social media. Because of this era, I learned that they feel a kind of pressure: “If I don’t keep up with the latest trends, I’ll be left behind.”

Listening to them made me reflect on a few things.

Trying to keep up with conversations and staying in tune with everyone around you is important for building harmonious relationships. Wanting not to feel excluded from the group might just be a natural human instinct.

However, if you constantly force yourself to match everyone else’s pace, your heart can easily become worn out.

No matter the era, and no matter what stage of life we are in, trying to “keep up with the times” is truly hard work for everyone.

That’s why I feel that, just as much as we value our friends and peers, we need to value our own hearts.Take a deep breath, and I hope you can value being just as you are. Even now, I sometimes struggle with human relationships. When that happens, I like to head somewhere surrounded by nature and just laugh it off with a “Oh well, whatever happens, happens!”

#DailyReflections #HumanRelationships #MindfulLiving #MentalHealth #ValueYourself #Generations #GentleReminders