Finding Meaningful Connections In The Digital World

A few years ago, I was skeptical about making friends with people, especially physical ones. I decided on this because I had had ugly experiences with people. I closed the doors to my heart and vowed never to open them again. However, with time, I realized it was impossible to live without people. As much as I wanted to mind my business and do things on my own, I realized this was impossible. Well, maybe it wasn’t impossible, but it sure was difficult. However, this changed when I gained admission into the university. Without me knowing, I used my hands to open the doors I had closed. In my second year, I made friends with good people who significantly impacted my life. Interestingly, some of the experiences that made me close my heart to friendships and relationships repeated themselves. Although I still have a few physical friends, I decided to try making new friends with people in the digital world.

Over the past 2 years, I have made friends with good, thoughtful, creative, and interesting people in the digital world. They have impacted me positively and made me stronger and wiser in different aspects. For today’s edition of Hive Learners’ topic, we are asked to discuss digital relationships. Knowing that the digital world is filled with complexities, how does one maintain a healthy digital relationship and make sure it doesn’t go beyond what it should be? First off, one important thing you need to take note of is that a digital relationship is more complex than a physical one. So, if you know you cannot handle the difficulties that come with handling a digital relationship, then it is best not to get into one.

Thanks to the internet, there are different social media platforms where we can communicate with our friends and partners. To build a healthy physical relationship, you have to make use of these social media platforms well. And that’s where my first point comes in. One of the important components of building a healthy digital relationship is communication. While exploring the internet, I came across a “relationship expert” who claims it is best to not communicate with your partner every day, as it leads to over-communication (which is not bad). When I read the comment, I laughed and shook my head. How do you want to build a bond with your partner if you don’t communicate every day? Lack of communication breeds distance. From one day, to two days, and then with time, you’ll get used to not communicating with your partner for a whole week.

I have tried many times to understand the “relationship expert’s” perspective, but it is still a shaded area for me. Can there be overcommunication in a relationship? I believe that partners should communicate every day, however, this shouldn’t get in the way of their work and other aspects of their life. For example, your partner is a university student who has classes from morning till evening, expecting them to communicate for long hours after a stressful day. I guess that’s overcommunication and it is one of the things that can make a digital relationship wither.

Trust and respect are also important components that facilitate a healthy digital relationship. A wise person once said, “It takes time to build trust, but it can be destroyed in seconds.” Step by step, build a solid foundation with your partner. There should be trust to the extent that your partner would be comfortable to share anything with you. There should also be transparency. For example, don’t hide important details that you feel your partner should know about. Trust and respect work hand in hand. The first step to learning how to respect your partner is to know the kind of person they are. I communicate with some of my friends using insulting words. This is like a thing between us. On the other hand, there are friends who I communicate with with respectful tone and I’m always mindful of my words around them. If your partner doesn’t like playful insult words, then learn to respect them in that aspect.

Also, effective conflict resolution is another essential component that facilitates a healthy digital relationship. When it comes to relationships, whether it is physical or digital, fights are inevitable. However, it is how fast you resolve these fights and how often you prevent them from happening that matters the most. You and your partner should be open to feedback and corrections. I know it can be hard to accept corrections. It is like being pricked with a needle, but once you open up to constructive criticism, you’ll find joy in it. Partners should also be willing to apologize.

If these essential components are in place, a digital relationship will not only flourish but also bloom and thrive over time.

Images in this post are mine

Thanks for reading.