RELATIONSHIPS

  “The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.”  -- Anthony Robbins A healthy relationship can be one of your best supports, improving all aspects of your life, from personal to business. To thrive, relationships require an investment and commitment, and the more you put into one, the more you’ll get back.

Tips for Healthy Relationships

• Relate to each other. Just because you’re in the same room doesn’t mean you are connecting with the other person.  You must spend time engaging with them or your relationship will grow distant.
• Be honest and direct when communicating, and feel comfortable expressing your needs and desires, fears and doubts.  This way, trust and bonds are created and strengthened.  Include nonverbal language in your communication—use touch, listening skills, and respectful actions to aid your words.  Never stop communicating.
• Resolve conflict.  The key to a strong relationship is your ability to resolve conflict.  Don’t be afraid of conflict, it is a natural element of a relationship.  It’s how you deal with it that will determine the success of your relationship.
• Don’t let little things become big things. Don’t be afraid to talk to your partner.  Remember, you decided to be in this relationship together, and have to navigate it together.  If you talk about little things now, as they happen, you can most often prevent resentments from building, which causes larger issues down the road.
• Expect ups and downs. No relationship is happy all the time.  You are going to go through conflicts, issues, and situations beyond your control.  Keep calm and figure out together how best to handle them.
• Don’t lose your own interests. Keep alive your friendships and outside interests.  This allows you to strengthen yourself, gain new insights, find new inspirations, and bring more back into your relationship.  Relying on one person for “everything” puts undue pressure on the relationship.
• Be physical. Touch is so important to a relationship, and should include lots of holding hands, kissing, and hugging.  Don’t just wait until intimate moments to touch each other.
• Spend time together. Act like you’re still dating, and find things you enjoy together.   Think of your relationship as your best friend.
• Laugh together. Nothing bonds a couple more than laughter.  It breaks the tension and you can look at situations more lightly.
• Learn give and take. Healthy relationships require compromise, which can sometimes take work.  Communicate to work on issues for mutual resolution.
• Learn what’s important to your partner. Relationships are not 50-50.  They are about giving 100% to your partner.  Learn your partner’s needs, wants, likes, desires, and goals, and help them achieve them.
• You’re both on the same team. There is no “winning” in relationships.  You’re not in this relationship to attack each other.  You’re both on the same team, and as team members, you should help each other to a winning season.  Use “I feel” statements instead of “you did” accusations.