Hey everyone, Jared here again.

I’ve been having some deep conversations lately—with friends, with family, even with people I’ve just met while traveling. And one theme keeps coming up: emotional safety. We don’t talk about it enough, but I think it’s the foundation of any strong, healthy relationship.

You can talk to someone every day, send each other memes, make plans—but if you don’t feel safe to be your full self around them, the connection will always stay on the surface. Emotional safety is about knowing you won’t be judged, mocked, dismissed, or ignored when you’re vulnerable. It’s about being able to say:

“This hurt me.”

“I’m scared.”

“I don’t know.”

“I need you.”

…and trusting that the other person won’t run from it.

For me, building emotional safety has meant learning to really listen—not to fix or debate, but just to understand. It’s meant being honest when something feels off, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s meant learning to say “I hear you” instead of “you’re overreacting.”

It’s not always easy. It takes patience and maturity. But when you find people who are emotionally safe—and when you become that kind of person for others—your relationships shift. They deepen. They breathe.

So, my little reflection for today is this:

Before asking “how often do we talk?” or “what are we doing this weekend?”, maybe try asking:

“Do we feel safe being fully ourselves with each other?”

And if not—what would it take to build that?

Thanks for reading. Sending peace and presence your way.

—Jared