The Importance of Hugs

A hug alleviates pain, eases one's fate (if it's not difficult?), and prevents fears. A person supported by a friend's hug is protected from falling into despair. It's no coincidence there's a saying: "The best place to fall is into arms." Hugs from family and friends warm you for a long time, as if you’re covered in a soft, cozy, and warm blanket. Imagine – hugs are the subject of research in a special section of clinical psychology. Back in the 1970s, it was established that hugs increase the level of endorphins in the human body – natural pain relievers produced by the nervous system and brain.

What does a hug give to a person?

It is said that each of us needs 4 hugs a day to survive, 8 to feel loved, and 12 to become a real person... Of course, the numbers can be disputed, but what matters here is the principle, not the numbers. So, what does a hug provide? 1. Courage. It's very interesting to observe how contests happen behind the scenes. Today, it's common to place cameras everywhere, including backstage. Each contestant is hugged by their mentor, parents, or friends before going on stage. Through a hug, they convey confidence: "Everything will be fine, you can do it, you're ready, I'm with you, you're not alone."

What do hugs give to a person?

2. Strength. Energy is transmitted through a hug. When a person is alone, they feel that their strength is exhausted. A person needs reinforcement, a doping called "courage", which is contained in hugs. 3. Health. A hug can heal broken hearts, and for this, you don't need to go to a doctor for a prescription. 4. Information. It is simple, clear, and extremely necessary for everyone. By hugging, we say without words: "I know you, believe in you, appreciate you, and want everything to be well for you".

What does a hug give a person?

5. Protection. Feeling protected is necessary for every individual. This is especially important for children and the elderly. They are the most defenseless people. 6. Confidence. Besides the 'courage' booster, everyone needs the lubricant called 'self-confidence'. If we don’t support and encourage each other, how can we move forward in life? We can't. Hugs help to gain the necessary confidence. Bringing joy to each other, supporting, protecting, inspiring by hugging - this makes life much better, easier, and... kinder.

How to stop being offended?

When I stopped being offended, people stopped offending me. You might say: that doesn't happen. How can one not be offended when touched on a sensitive spot? If one understands the origins of offense, I believe there will be no reason to be offended. So, what is it within us that doesn't allow us to forgive? To forgive means not to leave a trace of bitterness in your soul, to continue communicating freely with a person. Or, if you prefer, not to communicate at all, but at the same time not to recall them harshly, that is, to remain neutral.

How to Stop Being Offended?

Wounded pride. Not appreciated as we wanted, or simply unjustly accused. But we know we're not that bad. So we torment ourselves with thoughts and curses aimed at the offender. We 'gnaw' at our soul, assuring ourselves of our righteousness. But is it worth proving the obvious to ourselves? I think we all agree that it's a pointless endeavor. Everyone knows their own worth. To the one who judged you, you can simply say, "I'm sorry you think of me this way," "I'm upset that we didn't understand each other." And definitely don't lower your self-esteem.

How to stop being offended?

Pride. Try to set aside the feeling of superiority and take your partner's side. Remember: a person's strength is not in pride, but in generosity. The offender generally realizes himself that he was hasty.

How to Stop Being Offended?

Inability to accept facts about oneself. For example, you are told: "You are late for work. You made a mistake. You are in a bad mood. You eat a lot. You are overweight." You get angry, unwilling to accept reality. Learn to respond with 'yes'. The same 'yes' applies to any reproaches towards you. Do you think your interlocutor will be interested in 'stinging' you, and how long will they last if you agree with everything?

How to Stop Being Offended?

Unjustified expectations. Often we expect certain actions, behaviors, or words from a person, which are not at all inherent to them due to their character traits, tact, upbringing, education..., and we get offended by the non-fulfillment of our invented expectations. Try to look at everything objectively, without imagining things that are not there.

How to stop being offended?

Incorrect perception. The same situation affects different people differently. It's not about who said or did what, but how we reacted and perceived the information. Calm perception without irritation is merely a matter of everyday 'training'. Essentially, we ourselves make the decision to be offended. As it's often said: 'Be offended with yourself...'. In difficult situations, repeat to yourself: 'I love myself and will not be offended'.

How to stop feeling offended?

And the next time you feel like taking offense, think about it: is it really that pleasant to pity yourself and feel like a victim? A predator always senses the weak and attacks them. You don't want to be eaten, do you? Perhaps you are the victor, rising above the situation and independent of the circumstances! As is known, offense is a state of our soul. The soul is a well from which we drink. What source of quenching thirst do we offer ourselves and others? Protect your reservoir, your source of life. Live with a smile, without taking offense!

Study: Lips and Eyes as Key Features of Attractiveness

Lips are the main feature of female attractiveness, while eyes and hair are the main features of male attractiveness, according to a study. In a gaze tracking experiment, over 150 people looked at photographs of different people. It was found that men, when evaluating female appearances, most often fixate their attention on lips—on a subconscious level, they perceive full lips as a sign of youth and health. Women, on the other hand, pay more attention to men's eyes and hair as signs of reliability and social status.

Forms of Relationships

In modern society, there are many forms of relationships, each with its own advantages and challenges. Those not in understandable closed relationships are sometimes accused of spiritual poverty, inability to love, and a consumeristic approach to people. What is it really – a progressive approach or a flight from closeness? We explore modern relationship formats.

Monogamy

The most common form of relationship is, of course, monogamy, involving two partners. We most often see the reflection of monogamous relationships in culture — movies and books, songs and series. A deep emotional bond forms between the partners, which becomes a support for them. According to a study, long-term monogamous relationships positively influence even the health of the partners — both physical and mental. But there are pitfalls: the level of jealousy in a nuclear family is generally noticeably higher.

Polygamy

Polygamy is another fairly well-known, albeit less common, format. It is a form of official marriage where one participant has multiple spouses. Polygamy is generally sanctioned by state law — for instance, in one form or another, it is allowed in about 50 countries worldwide. It is often based on the religion or traditions of a particular people. Among the advantages of such a format are sometimes mutual aid and cooperation, mainly among women. However, the drawbacks prevail: Polygamous unions are generally inequitable. Power is often concentrated in the hands of the 'main' partner (usually a man), while the 'secondary' partners (typically women) suffer from abuse.

Polyamory

Polyamory is the practice or desire of having multiple emotionally and sexually significant relationships at the same time with the awareness and consent of all participants. Key features are awareness and honesty, as partners need to negotiate a lot, speak openly about their emotions, and be empathetic. Among polyamorists, there is statistically more sincerity, emotional closeness, and sexual satisfaction, while jealousy is less common. A person becomes more attentive to themselves and others, more aware, deeply analyzes their feelings, and speaks freely about them to reach agreements with partners. Sometimes, polyamorists find it difficult to maintain balance – it happens that someone starts paying more attention to one partner, "sidelining" another or others.

Open Relationships

Open or free relationships. Partners can meet and usually have sex with other people, depending on the specific agreement. Third parties remain outside the relationship. In open relationships, partners highly value their freedom, mutual honesty, and openness. They treat each other with respect and build a trusted connection on the border between autonomy and cohesion. They also often take sexual health more seriously than monogamous couples. But sometimes people in open relationships face an overwhelming sense of guilt towards third parties—such as if they are unaware of the 'primary' partner. Such relationships are not necessarily psychologically flawless—jealousy can occur, agreements can be broken, and partners may be unequal.

Situationships

Situationships. Two people spend time together, go on dates, may have sex. But their status is not fully clear, and partners may wonder, "What are we to each other—friends, lovers? Will we be together? Should we stop this?" Situationships have a lot of uncertainty and "space." On one hand, there's a lot of freedom, on the other, there's no support from the partner. They are completely autonomous, yet have a relationship that's comfortable in terms of closeness—they can go on romantic dates and have sex with a person they like. However, such relationships can be quite painful if one partner desires a stable relationship while the other "keeps a distance," not explicitly stating their intentions.

Guest Marriage

Guest marriage. It is a monogamous, serious relationship with mutual obligations, with the only distinction being that such partners do not live together. They can visit each other and stay overnight, meet in neutral territories. Guest marriage reduces the likelihood of domestic quarrels. This relationship format helps maintain boundaries between partners and preserve each individual's personal space. Additionally, there remains a certain allure of unspoken, romantic and sexual play, which positively affects the level of passion in the couple. Trust is important for such relationships — sometimes people may become jealous because some part of the partner's life is hidden from them. Furthermore, guest marriage can be painful if one of the partners would like to live together but is forced to agree to this option.

8 Things People with High Emotional Intelligence Avoid

Emotional intelligence, what is it? As far back as the 19th century, scientists began to question why a high IQ did not guarantee a successful career and life. An explanation was found for this, which was that the most successful people are capable of recognizing emotions, consciously managing them, understanding intentions and desires, motivation, and this applies not only to themselves but also to others. Collectively, all these (and some other) qualities were included under the concept of 'emotional intelligence'.