Learning from genetics to improve our relationships
Can you look at someone’s face and tell how they are feeling? How empathic are you?
It turns out this ability is linked to relationship health, and influenced by our genetics — and it’s something you can easily learn about your own genes.
Researchers have found that people with certain genetic variants are better at resolving conflicts, feel closer to their partners, and feel more secure in their relationships. Some variants increase oxytocin, which increase emotional empathy and bonding. Oxytocin is also linked to our ability to read faces. You can find out how well you are genetically equipped in the link below.
Find Out What Your Genes Say About Your Relationships
High empathy and oxytocin alone won’t save you from relationship pitfalls. There are of course many high empathy people who attract low empathy partners. You see, these genes can lead you to be more empathic towards the pain of a partner, but they don’t guarantee your partner will be empathic back, and some people need that extra empathy in order for their sketchy relational behavior to be tolerated.
The good news, if you struggle with attracting low-empathy partners, boundaries work and resolving the pain of the past can really benefit you.
And if you struggle with not having enough empathy — you struggle to relate to your partners’ emotions — the research suggests you can boost your oxytocin by doing yoga. You can also learn to read faces and body language better.
We all know genetics isn’t everything — environment plays a role, and you can change your attachment style and how you empathize with people.
If you’re disappointed with the hand that nature dealt you, or didn’t quite win the parent lottery, I help people shift their attachment style, develop better boundaries, and resolve old relationship trauma for easier and more joyful relationships.
References:
https://selfdecode.com/blog/article/oxytocin-relationships-9/
Source:https://selfdecode.com/blog/article/oxytocin-relationships-9/
If you’ve spent any time in the dating or relationship world, you’ve probably seen lists of “red flags” that claim to tell you exactly when to run. Things like: if they don’t text back within an hour, red flag. If they don’t post you on social media, red flag. If they cancel plans twice, red flag.
The problem is, real life is much messier than that. Everyone has stress. Everyone has flaws. Everyone gets it wrong sometimes. If we treated one misstep as a dealbreaker, no relationship would make it past the first month.
Spotting red and green flags isn’t about perfection—it’s about paying attention to patterns over time.