5 Reasons Why Its Vital to Recognize Your Heritage
Heritage is a complex idea, and not many people fully understand its influence on our lives. It heavily affects how we grow, our mannerisms, daily routines, mental health, and our relationships. However, delving into something like your ancestry may sound like quite a task; discovering your true heritage can unlock many of life's hidden benefits. Especially with today's technology, looking into your family's past ancestry has only gotten easier! With a few clicks of the button, you will be able to unravel a whole new world based on the past. You may be curious as to why you walk the way you walk or talk the way you talk! Unfolding your heritage and past ancestry can solve all of these simple questions and give you a deeper understanding of yourself.
1. It boosts your mental wellness
Discovering your heritage can boost and improve your mental health; you will be able to find peace and comfort in knowing your ancestry. In return, you will find yourself gaining things that will only make you feel better.
If you have ever experienced a loss of identity, you will be happy to hear that recognizing and discovering your true heritage will allow you to gain a newfound sense of individuality. Upon discovering your roots, you will also be able to connect with new people that you would have never known before. Visiting different places that are connected to your background, or even connecting with others online, can help you gain life-long friendships and a sense of community.
Not only can you make new connections with others, but you can also improve your pre-existing connections with family members. Heritage can create new family discussions at the dinner table, create your own Story and unfold new stories to tell and create regular traditions within yourself and your ancestors that may help you detect why you are the way you are today. All of these life improvements will make you happier overall. A happy life leads to better mental health.
2. It strengthens your sense of self-worth
It's not abnormal to find yourself lacking in the self-worth department; it happens to the majority of both younger and older generations of today. By discovering your heritage, you will allow yourself to build and improve on your self-worth.
Young adults and teens that are in tune with their culture are more likely to be confident. The more they speak their native languages, eat foods from their cultures and practice their cultural traditions both inside and outside of their homes, the more confident they will be in return. A study on university students shows that those who are more connected with their heritage and culture have greater self-esteem and a deeper sense of personal well-being.
By establishing personal heritage, you will be able to connect yourself with different aspects of both your culture and ancestry. Trying new foods, reading books, and attempting new practices related to your culture and origin can all improve your self-worth and identity. They will allow you to discover and learn new things about yourself that you may have never known before!
3. It builds relationships with family members
Uncovering your heritage can introduce new daily routines for you and your family. It can also explain why you may do certain things in your daily routine as well! Growing up, you may have noticed that your family functions differently in comparison to the families of your peers; this is due to their heritage. Heritage and culture can affect your upbringing and cause many pre-existing traditions and practices within your household. Many believe it is better to introduce heritage to younger children as it will allow them to grow up with more respect for their elders and parents. Teaching culture at a young age will also allow for traditions, practices, and ways of thinking to advance well into adult life.
A disconnect from heritage may also cause a disconnect with parental bonds, which is why it is essential to keep in touch with your culture. It will not only improve your bonds with those in your family, but it can create new traditions and stories to share with future generations to come! It can also enhance your daily life by introducing new practices and daily routines.
4. It promotes connections within your community
Community allows for long-lasting and fulfilling friendships and connections that can improve mental health. Through heritage, you may find a warm and welcoming community with similarities, whether online or in-person. Visiting cultural buildings or places connected to your heritage can connect you to many new people and valuable resources. Going on social media (i.e., Facebook or Instagram) and searching for groups and accounts with people who share a similar culture or heritage are all amazing and beneficial ways that you can find a welcoming community that aligns with you!
5. It establishes fun family traditions and experiences
Usually extended from heritage or culture, traditions can provide stronger family bonds, values, connections, and self-identity. If your family doesn't have many traditions, it may be due to a lack of connection with their heritage. You could be the one to introduce a link to your heritage and share it with your family! In return, you will be able to create new and exciting traditions and experiences. If you struggle with self-identification, worthiness, bonds, and connections with loved ones, practicing traditions and creating experiences can be very affirming and helpful, which is why recognizing your heritage can be highly beneficial.
