5 Ways to Build and Maintain Healthy Relationships
Humans are social beings, and it’s not only because we want to survive by using other people. We form social relationships because we all have an innate desire for intimacy.
It’s one thing to have a relationship with someone, but it’s also a different thing to have a deeper connection with people with different backgrounds. A healthy relationship has a positive effect on the mind and body. According to an article published on the Harvard Medical School blog, strong relationships help with managing stress and reducing dementia risk among people over the age of 75. With this in mind, nurturing healthy relationships should be an important part of your daily life. Here’s what you can do to form strong and lasting bonds with your partner, family, friends, co-workers, and everyone else:
1. Learn to be tolerant and patient
As much as we are social beings, we are still prone to biases and the tendency to judge others on the surface. However, if we let our prejudice dominate our thoughts, it would be impossible to make friends with anyone in the first place.
Moreover, setting high expectations for the people you want to make friends with will only keep you from seeing the underlying value of an individual. Imposing a set of standards will only make it harder for you to develop intimacy.
The first thing you will need to do on your journey towards building strong relationships is to get rid of your biases. Never limit your understanding to what you can see. There’s a lot more to a person than what’s on the surface, so loosen up and embrace other people for who they are.
2. Communicate and keep in touch
Whether it’s with your spouse or your co-workers, having healthy conversations is an essential part of having a healthy relationship. It’s not just about having a conversation with people you are close with. Since the goal of healthy communication is to develop understanding, it won’t help to listen and respond in a passive manner.
When you are having a conversation with another person, you need to set aside distractions and show that you are intent on having a discussion. Active listening plays a vital role along these lines, so make every effort to pick up important details.
Apart from active listening, you also need to speak clearly and assuringly. Whether you are giving advice or instructing the other person on what to do, you need to show your concern about what they said. More importantly, give them enough space to open up, especially if they are going through a difficult time.
3. Adjust to others
In a relationship, there’s always something to gain from another person. On the other hand, a healthy relationship emphasizes selflessness. The universe doesn’t revolve around you, so it won’t help to force the other person to adopt your perspective.
It’s always important to be flexible. If the other person has ideas worth trying, show that you are interested in them. After all, being in a relationship means having to work closely with others as a team.
Then again, it becomes a problem if you are always willing to compromise. The best way to get around that is to be objective and mindful of each other’s feelings. If you feel that something won’t work, then state your thoughts clearly and ask for alternatives.
4. Never shelve problems
Rifts can happen among friends, family members, and co-workers, but these are normal relationships that run into problems and issues. Some people may choose to keep such problems a secret to preserve their relationships, but doing so can only make things worse once others find out about it. If you are going down that road, you risk being insincere in your relationship.
It would be best to bring these problems out in the open so you can work towards fixing them. If your best friend has an unhealthy addiction, tell them how you feel about it and let them know you are going to support them all the way. If your spouse has a problem performing in bed, don’t ignore its impact on your marriage. You can ask them to take ED medications or see a sex therapist together.
5. Make time for everything
Regardless of how busy you are at work and everything else, making time for other people is a great way to show your appreciation and respect for them. Whether they have a problem they want to talk about or they just want to hang out, it’s important that you take the time to reach out and show them that you are always ready to make memorable moments.
The more time you invest in your relationships, the healthier they become. The key to having healthy relationships is to develop a selfless attitude and open yourself up to new experiences.
