Can Building Diverse Relationships Enhance Your Health and Happiness

Author: Karla Tovar, Associate Consultant

According to a University of Michigan study called “Diversity of Social Relationships Is Just as Important as Quantity in Staying Healthy as We Age,” having many different types of friends is good for our health, especially as we age. Talha Ali, a Ph.D. student in Epidemiology, says having diverse relationships in all parts of life is essential. Diverse relationships mean having friends from different backgrounds, and they’re crucial because they help us become more compassionate, empathetic, and accepting. Having various friends can reduce bias in the workplace, our personal lives, and our surroundings.

Over the past five years, I’ve been working and learning from people with different backgrounds, making meaningful connections. We all deal with biases sometimes. Dealing with and overcoming biases from people different from me has been challenging and essential for my personal growth. So, how do we connect with people who are different from us? The key is to look beyond our differences and find common ground. It’s not a good idea to focus too much on how similar or different we are. In my professional experience, I often interact with people I do not have much in common. My approach ensured everyone felt listened to and understood, and I produced to create meaningful connections.

If we change how we see people, appreciating their unique culture, religion, or origin, forming diverse relationships becomes exciting instead of challenging. It might feel uncomfortable to step out of our comfort zone, but unique encounters can change how we live and see others and the world around us. It’s also essential to consider our health when forming diverse relationships, as the University of Michigan study found that having more diverse relationships lowers the risk of health issues and helps with cognitive and physical well-being.

Let’s be excited to meet new people and form diverse relationships to develop empathy and caring qualities, even with those who seem different. We all want long-term and meaningful connections because we’re not meant to live in isolation. Diverse relationships are necessary for expanding our social circle, finding happiness, unity, and harmony, and increasing empathy. According to a study by the University of Michigan, our physical health benefits significantly, especially as we grow older and maintain these diverse relationships. We all desire to live a healthy, diverse, and balanced life.

If you’re intrigued and eager to learn more about our approach, please visit our website at espindolamg.com. We look forward to guiding you on your diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging transformative journey toward emotional intelligence and personal growth.