Relationships significantly impact all of us, from conception to death. They are THE key factor determining our wealth, health, and happiness in life.

The quality of our relationships determines:
·      Our childhood development
·      Our mental health problems
·      Our ability to gain and maintain wealth
·      Our contentment
·      Our health
·      Our length and quality of life

In 1931 Winthrop Kellogg and his wife Luella Kellogg created a real-life experiment where they raised a chimpanzee baby alongside their own baby – Donald. While the intent was to study the chimpanzee’s development, it was the baby’s behaviour that raised eyebrows. The results surprised them: instead of the chimpanzee adopting human traits, Donald began imitating the chimpanzee’s behaviours. He made chimp-like sounds, exhibited chimp-style play, and showed delays in human speech development. The experiment was ultimately halted after nine months due to concerns about its impact on Donald’s development.

This story is a striking reminder that human brains are extremely sensitive to the learning they receive from their relationships.

Creating meaningful, healthy relationships takes intentionality. It’s about the care we give, the curiosity we bring, and the lessons we take from every interaction.

This is a great time of year to reconsider how we are doing with each of these: are we actively and intentionally showing our partner/friends/colleagues:
·      Care
·      Curiosity
·      Collaboration
·      Connection