Tips on Building and Maintaining Healthy Relationships

Building and maintaining healthy relationships is an important part of looking after our mental health. Here are six top tips to support you:

1. Get to know yourself
Take time to appreciate yourself and connect with your emotions. Being aware of your feelings allows you to express yourself clearly and effectively. Poor emotional regulation can negatively affect your mental wellbeing.

2. Put in the work
Healthy relationships are built, not found. They require commitment and a willingness to accommodate each other’s needs.

3. Set and respect boundaries
Boundaries communicate what you appreciate and what you don’t like in a relationship. For example, respecting your need for alone time helps prevent unrealistic expectations and reduces pressure on the relationship.

4. Talk and listen
Disagreements are normal. Focus on listening to understand, not just to respond. Be open about your emotions and vulnerabilities with people you trust.

5. Let go of control
You can only control your actions, not those of others. Accepting this reduces stress and saves time while fostering healthier interactions.

6. Reflect and learn
Healthy expression of feelings helps you respond appropriately to others. Often, anger stems from hurt; recognizing this allows for better communication and relationship building. Reflect on the relationships that work well in your life, identify their positive qualities, and apply these lessons elsewhere.