There is a saying by Virginia Satir, an often-quoted family therapist, “We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”
Photo credit: @dropofpuremagic
Among the many positive aspects of hugging, boosting self-esteem seems like a really important one. Seems that from the time we're born our family's touch shows us that we're loved and special. The associations of self-worth and tactile sensations from our early years are still embedded in our nervous system as adults. The cuddles we received from our mom and dad while growing up remain imprinted at a cellular level, and hugs remind us at a somatic level of that. Hugs, therefore, connect us to our ability to self-love. Less drama, more hugs!