Relationships with people are very important. They are good for your mental health and can help you have a good support system. To cultivate better relationships with people you need to put in the work, listen to them, and compromise.
Put in the Work
Having good relationships requires work. You need to be actively engaged in building the relationship. This can be by spending quality time with people, helping them, listening to them, and helping to fill their needs. Conflict resolution can be an important factor as well. No relationship is without conflict, so working to solve problems is an important factor. There is such a thing as too much work in a relationship. If you are continuously working hard at trying to meet people’s needs and you get no reciprocation and your needs are never met, letting the relationship fizzle may be in the best interest of your mental health.
Listen to Them
Listening is an important part of relationships. You need to listen to know what someone’s needs, likes, and wants are. People need to feel heard to feel loved and appreciated. Listening requires more than just hearing them but being active in the listening process. Let them know you are listening to them by active listening, asking questions, and being present in every interaction. Friends going through a difficult time can benefit from you listening to them. Your friends can give you more insight on their lives if you just give them a chance and show you care.
Compromise
Relationships that are one-sided generally do not last. To help with this you can compromise. This doesn’t mean that what is given is always equal, just that each party feels reciprocation. To help ensure you aren’t just receiving, carefully consider if you are doing things for the other person and thinking of them. You also need to be careful not to form a relationship with someone who is a user and is constantly taking from you. This relationship will be poor as you will be left feeling unappreciated. Compromise is essential in any and all relationships.
Your relationships are an important part of your life. Whether with friends, family, or a partner it is important to build good relationships so you can feel supported. To cultivate better relationships with people you need to put in the work, listen to them, and compromise.
Check out this article on what you need to practice better self care!
