At times we forget that relationships take work- all the time. Not just when things are going bad or one of you is struggling. Even when times are good it is important that you take the time to acknowledge the importance of the relationship and how to continue to make it healthy. So if you’re looking for a few new ideas to strengthen your relationship- try a few of these.
Positive expectations.
This may seem obvious but when you think positively about another person, you are more likely to have positive interactions with them. The lens you start the interaction with is importance in that it set the stage for both people. Think positively about your relationship and the actions they take. Give them the benefit of the doubt in the same way you would like them to do for you.
Action of happiness.
Have you ever been having a really awful day and then someone is kind to you, switching around the day, even if it is just for that moment. Good actions breed more good actions. Socially we feel more fondly about others who do nice things for us and tend to look for opportunities to ‘repay’ them or the world for their kindness.
Listen.
Time to stop talking and listen for a bit. Let the others person share thoughts, feelings, and concerns without giving advice. Being able to listen to someone is a skill and demonstrates your willingness to understand what they are saying and share their experience. Your time and commitment to them in that moment is a huge relationship strengthener.
Show forgiveness.
We all make mistakes and need to learn from them. If we are enveloped with negative emotions we will rarely take the time to ponder the situation and what we learned from it. Be an example of how we fail, forgive ourselves, and learn from our mistakes. Don’t hold a grudge or keep ‘punishing’ them for making a mistake. For a healthier relationship it is time to understand the situation and move forward together.
Self-love.
You can’t fully love or care for someone else unless you love yourself too. This practice tends to be the one we forget when discussing relationships because we become hyper focused on the relationship itself. Make sure you get some time for you to unwind, exercise, eat right, and do an activity you enjoy. The healthier you are, the healthier the relationship will be be, the healthier the other person will be and so on.
Have fun.
Sometimes we get into the grind of life and forget to have fun with the people we care about. Play is important not only in relationship building but also in our overall happiness in life. Make sure to set a little time aside each week to interact in your relationship (romantic, friendship, etc) that is free of deadlines, kid talk, money, business, or negative subjects (like gossip). Stay in the moment as much as possible and enjoy the other person for who they are.
My Challenge to you: Take a moment to think about a relationship that you would like to strengthen or even rebuild. Take one of these practices and apply it to the relationship in an open minded, positive minded way. Take note of how you are feeling, how the other person reacts, and maybe even ask them what they thought about the interaction. Take this to the next level and discuss this within the relationship and how the both of you can work towards and even better bond.
Happy strengthening friends!
– Jessie the Therapist
Photo by Andre Melcher from Pexels
