After my run today, my muscles were feeling a little achy from the workout. I decided that they were in need of a good session of stretching. As I tenderly bent over and reached for my toes, I felt the pang of pain surge through my hamstrings. Yikes! How can something that is so good for you hurt so badly? Against my natural protective instincts, I continued to push through the pain. As I counted down from 20, there was a distinct moment where the stretch went from pain to relief. After several minutes of this self-inflicted pain, my muscles all seemed to join in unison to release a sigh of relief.
Stretching is proven to be great for our bodies. It reduces muscle tension, increases the range of movement in our joints, enhances muscular coordination, increases circulation of the blood to various parts of the body, reduces risk of injuries, and increases energy levels. That’s a lot of benefits for a pretty simple and easy task. In an article by SparkPeople, an organization aimed at promoting healthy living, the summary is, “It does not have to involve a huge commitment, but stretching can end up giving you huge results!”
Relationships are a lot like our bodies; they need stretching. Stretching in relationships means that we are pushing through some of those small pains to experience the relief and benefits on the other side. So what does it look like to stretch our relationship? Good question. Just like with our bodies, there are several ways to stretch out the different parts of our relationship. One example is reaching out to connect with our significant other on a subject that we tend to disagree on. Perhaps it is pushing yourself to do something selfless in order to meet his/her needs. Or, it might be leaning forward to go the extra mile in displaying thoughtfulness to him/her.
Relational stretching usually requires minimal effort, but it produces maximum benefits. Whether it means stretching yourself to be a better boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancé, or spouse, or just pushing your entire relationship forward, it can make a world of difference in the big picture. A little bit of pain can mean a huge sense of relief when you work through that problem together, allow your loved one to feel heard and valued, or put a smile on his/her face at your thoughtfulness. Relational stretching means pushing yourself and your relationship just a little bit in order to reap the rewards of better functioning, less risk of “injury,” and increased levels of fulfillment. Now go stretch it out!
