Answer:
Family remains one of the primary ways we source connection to others. If you are one of the lucky few, then your biological family may be a place where you source tremendous strength and well-being. But not everyone is born into a supportive, loving family with healthy dynamics, and if this is your situation, the emotional and health toll can be significant. Fortunately, there is an excellent solution that counteracts disconnection from our biological families: cultivating our own “chosen family.”
This approach to family connections can bring an enormous sense of empowerment and positive psychological benefits. Study after study confirms the immense positive influence that social support has on well-being, both physical and mental. When we feel that our social support is lacking, we wither and suffer; when we feel supported by people close to us, we thrive. By affirmatively seeking out the kind of people and relationships we want in a family, we are taking ownership over a hugely important area of our lives that may previously have been a rich source for feelings of helplessness and inadequacy.
