A healthy relationship is fulfilling and provides a safe refuge when faced with life’s discouragements. However, building and maintaining a healthy relationship requires time, effort and commitment. If you are wondering how to build a healthy relationship, the following tips will be helpful.
1. Practice good communication
Good communication is a key ingredient for a healthy relationship. How you communicate determines the level of emotional connection you will have in the relationship. In addition, poor communication can easily bring a disconnect that can cause stress and eventually resentment.
Good communication, however, comprises different aspects such as the following:
· Be a good listener
There is a difference between listening and hearing, which most people don’t know. When you simply hear what the other person is saying, you fail to pick the emotions, voice intonations and body language that he or she is expressing. That is where the real meaning of what they are telling lies. Be a good listener so that you can be able to pick the non-verbal cues that are being passed across.
· Hit the nail on the head
When you speak, talk about what you want directly without assuming that your partner is a mind reader. You might think that he or she understood what you wanted, but you could be throwing them into more confusion.
2. Make your time together meaningful
The reason why most relationships become stale over time is that people allow life obligations to come between them, limiting the time they have for each other. However, if you want to maintain a healthy communication, it is paramount that you intentionally create time for each other. Do not assume that a quick text or email to your partner can have the same feeling as telling it to him or her face to face. No matter how busy you become, consider doing the following.
· Be fun and playful
During your time together, create beautiful memories by including fun and playful things in the things that you do. Reserve a table at the restaurant where you first met and surprise her with a bouquet of her favorite flowers. Get a little more creative and order a personalized photo pendant necklace with a picture of both of you or a loving message.
A personalized photo pendant necklace will always remind your significant other about your love anytime of the day.
· Do fun things together
Do things you love doing together like walks, biking or watching a movie. You can also challenge yourself to new things such as signing up for baking or dancing classes together.
3. Understand that life is about giving and taking
Relationships are about taking and giving; you can’t expect to get everything you want while you give nothing to your partner. For a relationship to thrive, it is important that you understand what each of you needs so that you can create an atmosphere of compromise. This is especially important in solving conflicts and choosing the fights to engage in. For healthy conflict solutions:
· Fight fairly
We all have something to say in argument and often times we feel it is the right thing. However, it makes a big difference when you eliminate a must win attitude and give your partner time to express his sentiments as well.
· Do not attack or blame
Refrain yourself from attacking the other person, blaming and bringing up their past mistakes. Instead, use respectful and kind words in your fights.
· Step out if it’s too hot
It is impossible to solve conflicts when you are angry. It is always wise to step out for your nerves to calm down to avoid doing something you would regret later.
· Be open minded
Always fight for your relationship; when you do this, you will be more willing to forgive and more open minded to find a compromise.
4. Maintain healthy boundaries
Before your relationship started, each of you had a life of his or her own going on. If you want to have a healthy relationship, do not expect your partner to ditch his other relations and just be with you. His family, friends and colleagues make an important part of his life, and so does yours. For your relationship to be healthy, respect and trust each other’s relations and give each other time to build and maintain those relationships.
Building and maintaining a healthy relationship is important for your general wellbeing, which makes it necessary to have one. The nature of your relationship will influence your attitude towards life and will determine the energy that you give to the world. Use the above tips to build a healthy relationship that will be fulfilling and happy.
–Nora Price