Relational CORE Fitness – Why it is important

Relational CORE Fitness is vital for our sense of happiness and well-being.

Our sense of well-being is challenged immensely in a world of growing disconnect, unhappiness, and loneliness. The now-recognised loneliness epidemic, the emotional recession and the decline in empathy, as noted in the State of the Heart 2024 research report, are of growing concern.

My life experiences and research over the years have taught me that for our overall wellbeing, we need to take care of not only our physical fitness, the common focus in discussions around quality of life and longevity.

The rising relational disharmony, disconnect, and social isolation tell us that we also have to invest in building our psychological skills. We must develop and practice relational fitness as part of our active overall wellness lifestyle and our aspirations for holistic wellbeing. 

Relational CORE Fitness provides insight, tools, and skills that elevate our capacity to proactively create, contribute, and maintain healthy and joyful relationships.

The uptake and practice of Relational CORE Fitness, with its foundational courses of relational wisdom, emotional empowerment, and conscious communication, is a process of transformation that promotes individual, relational, and community well-being.  

Relational CORE Fitness is needed in a cultural climate of intensified individualism.

We are living in an era where intense competitiveness, entitlement, and egocentrism have infiltrated our internal and external human landscapes. Finger-pointing, negative labelling, blaming and shaming in public and private spheres appear to be unquestioned norms for many.

Social media has become the means to spread pop psychology that pathologises people, which, accompanied by a trend of victimisation, is disconnecting us in various ways from our shared humanity and the love we seek.

Relationship breakdown, divorce, family estrangement, isolation, discrimination, and associated deterioration of mental health are evident globally. On one hand, overt accusations and aggression are on the rise. On the other hand, conflict avoidance appears to have become the accepted norm.

In this cultural climate of diminishing empathy in general, and compassionate empathy in particular, our psychological and physical health and well-being are on the decline.

We are experiencing and witnessing growing relational dysfunction.

As a panacea for holistic well-being, self-care activities are now promoted under the banner of wellness. Searching the internet, we can find offers to immerse ourselves in another world with experiences that foster relaxation, greater self-awareness, resilience, self-esteem, and self-love.

Alongside this development, the idea of mindfulness, mostly drawing on Eastern religious and spiritual traditions, has taken the world by storm. This is a welcome trend in a world of growing disconnect.

However, how is this integrated into our daily lives and the love for others and the world around us? True self-awareness, resilience, and healthy self-esteem do not grow in isolation from the emotional encounters in our relational life.

Considering our mindless daily existence and the sense of loneliness that permeates our lives at home, at work, and in the world at large, we benefit from mindfulness grounded in the Western scientific tradition, asking ourselves:

What are we mindful of? What do we care about?

While being willing and able to care for ourselves remains important, our lives in captivity due to the restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic brought to our attention the importance of mutual care.

It became clear that we all have a fundamental human need to feel a connection with others, to feel welcome in a world outside our four walls; to feel cared for and providing care for others.

We all yearn to feel heard, seen, and valued, to give and receive love and experience the joy of human energies. We all long to feel a sense of belonging and be part of caring and nourishing social relationships.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development, a longitudinal study of 80 years, tells us that a decline in social relationships and an increase in stress levels have been identified as causes for the rise in mental health issues.

The meaningful and supportive connections in our lives have been recognised as being at the core of our happiness and well-being. As renowned Belgian-American psychologist Esther Perel emphasises,

“The quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives.”

Living in a world where the quality of relationships and our individual and collective well-being are deteriorating, we benefit from redirecting our attention to relationship dynamics in all spheres of our lives.

In a world where overt and covert messages tell us to be self-reliant and self-sufficient, it helps to remind us that we are part of many different relationships in the web of life, those with

• ourselves,
• our significant others,
• our parents and siblings,
• our grandparents and extended family,
• our close and casual friends,
• our mates at sport and work colleagues,
• our immediate and distant communities,
• and the world around us.

Often not initially thought of is the kind of connection we have with ourselves, the level of understanding and appreciation of who we are and who we want to be as individuals and as part of relationships.

All relationships matter – starting with the relationship we have with ourselves.

Come and be an agent of change. Take on the role of a relationship champion and foster meaningful connections. Contribute to healthy relational biospheres in all your relationships and a relational culture of love and care.