Part 3   

Relationships

Therapist Esther Perel calls love an affirmation and a transcendence of who we are, an ideal that rests on two pillars: surrender and autonomy. In Mating in Captivity, she writes, “Today, we turn to one person to provide what an entire village once did: a sense of grounding, meaning, and continuity.” Perel’s work focuses on how committed, romantic love can be a place of great security and adventure—but at the same time, she acknowledges that our relationships with friends, kids, communities, parents, coworkers, and all kinds of other people in our lives are also valuable, meaningful, and complicated.

I’m no relationship expert, but I believe our connections to each other form the foundation of who we are, who we want to be, and who we become. My relationships, both past and current, serve as the source of my greatest joys and lowest lows. In this part we’ll dive into some of the most impactful and useful lessons I’ve learned, as well as how you can begin to make tiny tweaks in some of your relationships to continue to grow as an individual. We’ll talk about the importance of honesty, how to stop keeping score and be a better listener, why asking for (and accepting) help is so difficult, forgiveness and responsibility, and staying true to yourself.