Quick Tips to Strengthen Your Relationships

It doesn’t matter if it’s your mother, best friend, neighbour, or romantic partner: all relationships are important, and all can be strengthened. So, why not choose this month—the month of love—as the time to start?

Detox your relationships
Not all relationships should be strengthened, however, so first off, take a long look at your relationships to determine if any are toxic to your well-being. Sometimes, people can be hurtful and it may not be worth it. Remember, relationships should have a positive impact on our health. Our friends can influence all aspects of our life—even our weight and fitness—so it’s crucial that we take the time to evaluate our relationships.

Lighten up
As adults, we often forget to have fun, or we just don’t make time for it. Why not grab a friend or your romantic partner and do something silly, such as seeing an improv comedy show or trying a laughter yoga class to boost your mood and get you smiling.

Show your love
How do you let your loved ones know you care? Do you shower them with gifts or give them words of affirmation? It may surprise you to learn that everyone registers caring in different ways. There is no “right way” to show love—it depends what the other person prefers. Take some time to discuss what makes the other person feel loved, and then show them your love in that way.

Break bread
Has the tradition of eating dinner as a family died out? We think not. Actually, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s dinner, lunch, breakfast, or Thursday night snacks and board games, as long as you bring everyone together and chat in a meaningful way. Try to carve out some time each week for this important family ritual.

Reconnect with an old friend
Regardless of what you might think, it’s never too late to reconnect with a loved one or old friend. Chances are, the other person is feeling exactly as you are and would be thrilled for you to reach out to them. Pick up the phone, write an email, or break out the stationery—whatever feels right.

Make new friends
We know: it can be tough to make friends as an adult. Without school projects, ballet lessons, or organized play dates, it can seem impossible to meet up and spend time getting to know each other. The good news is that many of us feel the same way and are always happy to have someone else take the first step. Take some time to explore your interests and you’ll likely meet similar people along the way.

Strengthen your communication skills
Sometimes, the important relationships in our lives could use a bit of work. And that’s okay! Effective communication skills can help.

Log off
You may find that, ironically, what’s holding you back from strengthening the most important relationships in your life is too much social media. After all, it’s difficult to maintain a meaningful conversation while checking for status updates.