Day Two: Healthy Relationships
The recipe for a healthy heart requires more than a healthy diet and good exercise. It's only appropriate during the mushiest week of the year that we talk about love. This isn't specific to romantic relationships, it includes healthy relationships with coworkers, family, and friends. So, what differentiates a healthy relationship from a non-healthy one? The following are qualities of a healthy connection:
-Mutual Respect
-Trust
-Honesty
-Support
-Fairness/Equality
-Separate Identities
-Good Communication
-A Sense of Playfulness/Fondness
Qualities of an unhealthy relationship include: intensity, possessiveness, manipulation, isolation, sabotage, belittling, guilting, volatility, deflecting responsibility, and betrayal. Some relationships may have a combination of healthy and non-healthy qualities, but what's important is that the relationship is bringing more happiness than stress. All healthy relationships take work!
Promoting Healthy Relationships:
How can we encourage healthy relationships in our life? Start by referring back to the list of healthy qualities and expand on their meanings within the 'Equality Wheel':
-Respect: pay attention to the other person and value their opinion even if it is different from your own; listen to what they have to say.
-Trust and Support: want the best for the other person and know that they care for you; be encouraging and support their relationships.
-Honesty and Responsibility: don't make excuses for your actions, or for the actions of the other person. Admit when you're wrong, and don't go back on your promises.
-Fairness and Negotiation: accept changes and be willing to meet in the middle; find a solution to a problem that both you and the other person agree with.
-Physical Affection/Intimacy: respecting each others right to say 'no' to something; not pressuring the other person or allowing them to pressure you. Be faithful to one another.
-Open Communication: both you and the other person should be able to express feelings and opinions. Say what you mean, and mean what you say.
Learn more about the Equality Wheel here.
