A healthy relationship is one that makes you feel good. There will always be difficult times in any relationship – but they shouldn’t leave you feeling bad all the time.
All relationships of all kinds, be it with your friends, family or romantic partners, need a little work from all people involved in them in order to make them positive for everyone.
Don’t ignore issues
It’s important to talk about things that upset you – even if it feels silly, or you are worried that it might ‘rock the boat’. This could be something like being annoyed by a friend always turning up late when you ask them to meet you at a certain time or you feel like your partner expects you to do all the housework.
Of course, it’s not worth bringing up every single thing that annoys you, but if it’s becoming a pattern it can be better to discuss why it’s upsetting you to be able to nip it in the bud – it’s likely the other person isn’t aware that this thing is upsetting you, so by talking about it you can come to a resolution.
If you decide to try and ignore it, then lots of different little issues might pile up, which then leads to a much bigger argument. By talking about it there and then you can get it sorted ASAP.
It’s all about respect
Respecting the person you have a relationship with is key – as is them respecting you too. Respect can involve acknowledging that they have a life outside of their relationship with you. This could involve things like encouraging them to spend time with their friends as you know they enjoy their company; making sure not to interrupt them during their workday as you know how much they care about their career; or making compromises like spending Christmas or other religious holidays at your partners parents instead of yours this year. Continue reading
