RELATIONSHIPS (Self & Others)

How often do you think about your inner child? What would you like to say to your younger self?

What is your “ideal self” the self you try to achieve every day? Is your ideal self realistic? (For example: someone’s ideal self may have a mansion at a certain age, or be in an idolized profession)

What have your past relationships taught you? How can you use your hurts for good? How can you be better for yourself and others?

Is there a past or current relationship (platonic or otherwise) that still hurts? What do you think the hurt is trying to teach you?

How has your friendship dynamic changed over the years? (For example: did you move around a lot at any point in time, causing you to make new friends everywhere you went but not keep them long? Did you have a new best friend every new school year even though you didn't move? Did you grow up with the same group of people and inner growth or different lifestyle choices separated you through the years, etc.?)

Do the opinions of others weigh on how you see yourself? Why or why not?

How does your self-image tie in with your job/career/career ambitions?

Have you ever been made fun of, or disregarded for something that was important to you (For example: an old toy, or a cheesy tv show, an eccentricity, an unpopular friend, etc.)? How was your relationship with that thing or person, or even your self affected by this?

How do you see yourself? Is this generally how you think others also see you, or do you often feel people do not see you as you are, but more as their own projection of you? What is your experience?

What does “alone, but not lonely'' mean to you? Do you like spending time by yourself? Why or why not?

How many of you have learned about relationships from watching tv? What have you learned? Does this work for you?

What are some relationship “goals'' that you wanted or want to achieve for yourself? Were you / are you able to obtain them? Why or why not?

Do you feel there are unique challenges to couples of color, that white couples, in general, do not experience? If yes, please share what you feel they are.

How would you define Black love? Is there anything about Black love that might be different from any other type of love?

What do you feel is something that is challenging for you, in having healthy and rewarding relationships of any kind, if anything?