7 Tips for Healthy Relationships

​There are, of course, many types of relationships. We have relationships with children, adults, other family members, teachers, work associates, bosses, and significant others, to name several. There are some common denominators involved in getting to healthy relationship status, and we will look at a few of them here.
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1. First and foremost, in order to love someone else in a healthy way, it is very helpful to already love yourself. For more from psychotherapist Terri Cole on how to love yourself, please watch this video.
2. We have heard many people talk about communication, and rightfully so. It is a critical part of a healthy relationship. But communication can become a negative force in a relationship, so it is important to practice positive ways of communicating. Watch this video from the Communications Doctor, Dr. Susanne Gaddis, on positive communications.
3. Forgiveness is another powerful tool in creating healthy relationships. Being able to really forgive is likely a necessity in building and sustaining healthy relationships of any type, as everyone is bound to make a mistake sooner or later. Or perhaps one partner in the relationships perceives something as a mistake in the other partner. Let’s hear from  relationship coach Adrian on this topic here.
4. In this case, you might have to learn to agree to disagree. Let’s here a bit more on the topic of walking on egg shells in a relationship by therapist and life coach, Ashley Berges here.
5. Let’s not forget to include the topic of mindfulness as a very positive tool in positive relationships. Mindfulness means focusing your attention on the present moment without passing any judgment, positive or negative. It usually involves slowing and calming down in order to be able to focus, something that often goes by the wayside in our fast-paced, hectic, and multi-faceted lives. Watch this short video by mindfulness expert, Dr. John Kabat-Zinn here.
6. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the topic of optimal nutrition in the context of having healthy relationships. Remember that if the physical body is healthy, your  emotional and thought processes should also be working more optimally! This is the so-called mind/body connection. For more on this topic, watch Dr. Eric Berg’s video here on the connection between food and mood. 
7. Finally, people in relationships who do not place priority on their importance may often find themselves in either a poor, dysfunctional one, or one that is dead or dying. Let’s watch this short video from Ephraim and Renece as they share their story about making their relationship a priority while having active careers.

I would like to leave you with this thought today – it takes a fair amount of work and knowledge to co-create and maintain healthy relationships. With some people it seems to be easier than with others. Romantic relationships seem to be especially challenging! In this course, PREVENTION: Holistic Strategies for Healthy Living & Avoiding Substance Use, we explore ten different areas of creating healthy overall functioning, and all of these areas will impact the health and vitality of all of your relationships.

For more information on healthy, holistic lifestyle choices, please visit Health and Wellness Online, LLC. Have a great day!