National Kiss and Make Up Day

National Kiss and Make Up Day reminds us to end the quarrels, arguments, and fights. Instead, come to an agreement with anyone you’ve had a disagreement with on National Kiss and Make Up Day on August 25th. This national day gives us a chance to make amends. Each one of us has had a fight with a loved one at some point in our lives. Whether it is between you and a friend, family member, neighbor or co-worker after time has passed, do you remember the cause? Who was even at fault? Do you want the discord to go on any longer? That is probably the most important question of all.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/forgiveness-your-health-depends-on-it#:~:text=The%20good%20news%3A%20Studies%20have,of%20anxiety%2C%20depression%20and%20stress.

Life is too short to hold grudges and hold on to negativity. In fact, it is detrimental to our health! “There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed,” says Karen Swartz, M.D. atJohns Hopkins Hospital. Chronic anger puts you into a fight-or-flight mode, which results in changes in heart rate, blood pressure and immune response. Those changes, then, increase the risk of depression, heart disease and diabetes, among other conditions. Forgiveness, however, calms stress levels, leading to improved health. Likewise, studies have found that the act of forgiveness can reap huge rewards for your health, lowering the risk of heart attack; improving cholesterol levels and sleep; and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress.

Forgiveness and reconciliation are also important aspects in many religions. It can help support spirituality and strengthen your connection to others, which has been proven to increase life quality and expectancy. And research points to an increase in the forgiveness-health connection as you age. As we reach our older years, we look back on your lives and realize the things that truly matter, which includes relationships with others. Even if a lot of time has passed, people are especially open to kissing and making up.

A key component of kissing and making up is empathy. Perhaps the person you had an argument with was having a bad day. Offering an apology, or simply just breaking the silence can be enough to begin the healing. Strive to compromise. Sometimes agreeing to disagree may be the best resolution. When we talk through issues calmly after a serious dispute, we often find that both sides misunderstood the other person. Looking back, hopefully, we can find something to laugh about and repair the relationship. Kissing and making up (or reconciliation and forgiveness) is just as important to our health as it is to our relationships. No one is perfect, and when we kiss and make up it helps us lead our best and happiest lives.