“The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.” – Anthony Robbins
It is very uplifting to connect with positive people in your life. People who support you, give you insight, teach you non-book lessons that lead to those ah-ha moments in life. People of this description might be few and far between, but they certainly exist. Nurturing these positive relationships is of the utmost importance in improving your health and well being. Building and strengthening promising relationships involves spending quality time with the positive people in your life.
When you take a step back to assess who is a frequent part of your life – family, friends, partners – what kind of people surround you? Do they perpetuate bad behaviours? Are they a bad influence? Do they cause unnecessary stress for you? Do they put you down? Do they complain often? Are they trying to run your life or control your decisions? Are they dishonest with you? Do they steal the scene not letting you share your story and experiences? If you answered yes to these questions, this points to an unhealthy relationship.
To take it a step further, consider why these people are in your life and what you are getting from negative reinforcement they provide. It may direct you to an imbalance within yourself needing to be addressed. Rather than avoiding these people altogether, understand first if you can salvage the relationship. Is there is a new, healthier way to connect with them? Perhaps you have a common interest that you can connect through. If in the end, there is no way to turn the relationship into a positive one, it may be better to part ways. If you must continue to be around these people, read up on Neutralizing Negativity.
Positive people who challenge you to be a better person are important to your personal growth and development. Keep these people close to you! Make them a more frequent part of your life and spend time with them in-person . Beyond positivity, there are some other integral virtues of a healthy relationship:
Trust – Trust is the foundation of a healthy relationship. It allows you to be yourself, count on each other, confide without fear of betrayal. With trust in place, the relationship can reach its true potential.
Reciprocity – An essential feature of a healthy relationship is equal give and take on the part of both individuals. When you are in a relationship because you genuinely enjoy someone’s company and so is the other person, reciprocity occurs naturally. There are two-sides to every relationship and embracing this balance brings out the best in both people.
Respect – Respect must be present on all levels – respecting boundaries, wishes, feelings, beliefs, etc. Many other values revolve around respect such as honesty, acceptance and tolerance. Respecting each other as individuals with unique differences sounds simple, but it takes ongoing work. If both parties are willing to put in the work, the rewards of mutual respect are tremendous.
Love – Love in the sense of loving another because they are a human being; the kind of love that makes you want to hug your BFF. Do you have this kind of love in your relationships? Encouraging this type of love helps a relationship to flourish while cherishing one another.
Enrichment – What do you contribute to others in a relationship? This question is important to consider in reflecting on your relationships to acknowledge your part in them. Are you helping others, enjoying experiences together, offering a different perspective? Consider how you enrich and enhance the quality of life of others through relationships.
After considering the healthy values of a positive relationship, it’s possible that some of yours need re-evaluating. Be intentional about the relationships you maintain in your life. Consider what you bring to relationships as well as the contribution of others. Consciously choose to have relationships that bring you joy and positively impact your health.