Reflective Paper. Communications & Media Research Paper

Reflective Paper
Student’s Name
Institution
Reflective Paper
One of the most important people I have in my life is my friend Janice. Although we met only three years ago, our friendship has develop to a level I never thought was possible. I would say our friendship is reciprocal as we consider each other equal and I also believe there is a great deal of commitment to keep it going. We have developed a strong bond and I would like to believe it will stay strong in the long run. I consider Janice an important friend who has helped me meet my belonging and esteem needs and in this paper, I reflect on my relationship with her and how it relates to concepts covered in the course.
Janice is my best friend; at the end of the day when I am feeling down and I need someone to talk to, she is always there. As I have said above, our relationship is reciprocal since I am also there for her whenever I can. Not only do we challenge each other intellectually on different topics such as food, books, politics, and astronomy, we also share personal issues in our lives. According to Dunbar (2018), friendship is the single most important aspect affecting our happiness, well-being and health. The relationship I have with Janice has been integral in helping me fulfill my belonging and esteem needs. According to Wood (2020), belonging needs occupies the third level in Maslow’s hierarchy. According to the author, as humans, we want others’ affirmation, acceptance, and company and we also seek to offer these things to other people. These features characterize my relationship with Janice to a great extent. When I am in doubt about my abilities, she is there to tell me that I can do it. When I have exams, I am always nervous about how it is going to be. Even if I have revised extensively, there is always that doubt that the back of my head that the exams may not be favorable. However, when I talk to Janice, she has a way of affirming my confidence and I would say her assurances have been significant in my life. There was a time I had an interview for a part-time job in a local store. I really needed it and I was nervous in regards to how it would go. I had to call Janice to inform her how I felt and she assured me that I had what it takes to get the job and I should not panic. I went into the interview confidently and secured the job. I would say, therefore, that she’s been phenomenal in helping me meet my belonging and esteem needs.
While the friendship I have with Janice has many strengths, a few limitations limit its potential. The strengths that characterize our friendship include social network expansion, having someone who listens, and trustworthiness. A key strength of my friendship with Janice is the expansion of both of our social networks. In the few years I have known her, I have also developed important relationships with other people in her social circle. I have also introduced her to some of my friends and family members. Through events such as birthday parties, we have both met each other’s friends and I believe it has significantly boosted my interactions with other people. Although my communication and interaction with the new people are not as close as those I have with Janice, there is that I-You communication in them, a key concept covered by Wood (2020). This means that I do affirm and recognize them as individuals. In Janice, I have someone who listens without judging. When I have had a bad day and I need to let it all out, she’s the one person who offers me that favorable communication climate. One of the main concepts covered by Wood (2020) is mindful listening, which means being fully present in the moment. Janice is always present in the moment when I need someone to talk to. I do not think obstacles such as preoccupation and prejudgment affect her. I believe she is exactly who Wood (2020) describes as a person who ‘listens to support.’ I agree with Raab (2017) who notes that people who listen have more fruitful relationships. For this reason, I always try my best to be a mindful listener to her as well as other people around me. Trustworthiness is also a key strength of our friendship. Wood (2020) presents trust as one of the main features of a satisfying relationship and I believe it has been the foundation of our friendship.
The limitations of my friendship with Janice are the fact that we do not share the same workplace and the pursuance of romantic relationships. It would have been wonderful if we would share the same workplace. I believe it would be beneficial to both of us as well as the organization. According to an article by Goetz and Boehm (2020), workplace friendship is associated with motivation, job satisfaction, productivity, and involvement. Rumens (2017) emphasizes that workplace friendship is vital for human well-being. As such, I think life would have been much better if we would be working. Pursuance of long-term romantic rela...