Undoubtedly, the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives. The type of bonding we adopt is linked to the initial relationship we developed with those who raised us. Some of us have a kind of bond that is based on fear or distance because of that first bond. This means we may intentionally avoid or fear getting emotionally close to other people. We often wonder why some people remain in abusive or unhealthy relationships; why do we allow toxic people to use us or colleagues at work to manipulate us for personal gain? Why do we pretend? Why are we afraid to be alone? Why do we repeat the same mistakes over and over again? Why have we given up on relationships altogether?

The people we spend time with are vitally important. No matter how strong our personality, there is no way to avoid being influenced by the beliefs and attitudes of those around us. Now, in the case of a person who has low self-esteem, vulnerability and indecisiveness could contribute to the person living a life decided by others or accepting loneliness. In order to make an informed decision about anything in life, we need to be clear about what we really want. We also need to be able to understand what other people want and what their motivations are. Our self-awareness, empathy, emotional regulation and social skills are keys to our interpersonal and personal well-being. Social and emotional intelligence can help us achieve success and happiness.

Emotion (e-motion) is something that is constantly changing and every interaction we have plays a role. People who have done a lot of work with themselves on a spiritual level can self-regulate their emotional state. For example, if someone comments 'You've put on a few pounds' or 'You didn't sleep well last night, you look very tired' then this affects us and makes us feel sad or angry. Regardless of whether what we hear is true or not our emotional state will change. Similarly the same will happen if someone tells us that we are very beautiful today. Imagine how much we are affected by people we spend a lot of time with. We can also be affected by non-verbal communication. The way someone looks at us or the way they touch or don't touch us. A person who has explored himself is very difficult to be influenced by any comment or gesture. This person knows exactly who he or she is, knows exactly how he or she feels, and knows exactly the elements of every interaction. Not only does it understand how to communicate with others, but it chooses the time frame, boundaries and depth of each relationship. Building or ending relationships when the time is right takes the right knowledge and skills.