Research clearly shows the importance of relationships in leading healthy lives. People with healthy relationships are fifty percent less likely to die prematurely. They are also better able to cope with stress, are healthier, and feel better about life.
Conversely, people without healthy relationships are more likely to struggle with depression, have immune system issues, and experience higher blood pressure.
Healthy relationships are those with close connections. These connections are formed by emotional bonds which grow from and are strengthened by mutual experiences.
People Need a Variety of Relationships
Just like the spokes in a bicycle tire keep it balanced, people need a variety of relationships to have healthy and balanced lives. The three broad categories of relationships are:
Family
Typical characteristics of healthy family relationships are support, mutual trust, regular interactions, shared beliefs and values, security, and a sense of community. Traditionally, family is someone related by birth, marriage or adoption. However, included in these intimate and supportive relationships are non-related people many consider family. This could be church family or close intimate friends.
Friends
A friendship is a close tie between two people built upon mutual experiences, shared interests, proximity and emotional bonding. Friends turn to each other in times of hardship or crisis. Most individuals need between three and six close friendships.
Romantic Relationships
When a close relationship forms that is built upon affection, trust, intimacy, and physical love between two people, the relationship transitions from friendship to romance. While society has elevated these relationships to the most important types of relationships, research has shown they fill different needs but are not necessarily more important.
American culture is consumed with romantic relationships. As a result, people have a hard time imagining it could be possible to have healthy friendships with people of the opposite sex. However, men and women bring different strengths to relationships. Maintaining healthy non-sexual/platonic male and female relationships is important.
Strong Communication is Key to Healthy Relationships
Relationships are living, dynamic parts of our lives which require attention, time and energy to build and maintain healthy connections. Attending to the following skills helps create and cultivate healthy relationships:
1. Build trust.
The safe feeling trust creates enables people to be vulnerable without fearing judgment, abandonment, or betrayal. Trust is cultivated and strengthened by attending well when someone expresses a need for emotional connection or support or is disagreeing with you. By being trustworthy in these moments, you pave the way for both parties to be more open and supportive in the future.
2. Listen deeply.
One of the best ways to show someone you care is by listening to them with an open mind and your full attention. This means turning off the television and removing other distractions. Make eye contact and work to understand what the other person is saying without letting your own opinions get in the way.
3. Be vulnerable.
According to Brene Brown, vulnerability—the process of truly opening up to another person emotionally—is the key to developing strong relationships. Until we share our feelings—even when they are uncomfortable—with another person, we are unable to form bonds of trust and intimacy. Ms. Brown says, “Vulnerability is a glue that holds intimate relationships together.”
4. Manage conflict.
Clear and open communication, mutual respect, shared exploration, and collaborative working to solve problems are the hallmarks of healthy conflict management. People who successfully manage conflict commit to analyzing situations and developing solutions to meet the needs of everyone involved. To do this, both individuals have to actively listen and speak in a fair and balanced manner.
5. Practice gratitude.
One of the most accessible positive emotions, gratitude strengthens friendships and intimate relationships. Expressing gratitude can be as simple as remembering to say “thank you.”
6. Learn to forgive.
Disagreements are a normal part of relationships. How you choose to handle the hurt created by disagreements is important. Choosing to forgive by letting go of the anger and hurt improves relationships and has a positive impact on you personally.
7. Extend compassion.
The willingness to be gentle and nonjudgmental with others when you recognize they are unhappy or have unmet needs is compassion. You don’t need to take on the suffering of others or absorb their emotions. Rather, compassion is understanding how they are feeling and believing in them even when they may have difficulty believing in themselves.
The benefits of building healthy relationships makes it worth the time and effort it takes.
It’s normal to go through rough patches and disagreements. Pine Rest offers relationship counseling that can help you address today’s issues and build skills that last a lifetime.
