Cultivating Strong Relationships

Developing and maintaining healthy relationships involves give-and-take to be successful. Sometimes you’re the one giving support, and other times you’re receiving it. It is as important for you to be the one giving support as it is for you to be the one receiving it.

To nurture your relationships:

  1. Appreciate your friends and family. Take the time to say thank you and express the ways they’re important to you.
  2. Don’t compete. Be happy instead of jealous when your friends succeed, and in turn they’ll celebrate your hard work and accomplishments.
  3. Adopt a healthy, realistic self-image. Work on building your self-esteem by taking care of yourself. Eat a healthy diet and include physical activity in your daily routine.
  4. Stay in touch. Answering phone calls, returning emails, and reciprocating invitations lets people know you care.
  5. Find the humor in things. Laughter is infectious and appealing, and it’s also proven to have positive health benefits.
  6. Listen up. Ask what’s going on in your friends’ lives. Avoid talking about your own problems all the time. Try to only give advice when your friends ask for it.
  7. Go easy. Don’t overwhelm friends with phone calls, texts, instant messages, or emails.
  8. Don’t judge. Give your friends space to change, grow, and make mistakes. Encourage your friends to freely express their emotions.
  9. Respect privacy. Respect your friends’ boundaries and keep any personal information that they share with you confidential.

It is never too late to build new friendships or reconnect with old friends. Investing time in making friends and strengthening your friendships can pay off in better health and a brighter outlook for years to come!

Helpful tips

Are you a good listener? Good listening skills can make a huge difference in nurturing your relationships. Click here for great tips to becoming a better listener.

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