5 steps to a healthier relationship

While Valentine’s Day is a prime opportunity to show your partner how you feel, it is also important to show your affection on the other 364 days of the year.

Every relationship will have it’s ups and downs, nobody is perfect. What’s important is to not let the “downs” keep you down.

To finish off our Valentine’s blog series, here’s a 5 step guide to building a strong and healthy relationship.

1. Communication: This is key. It doesn’t need to be a grand gesture, it can be as simple as sitting down and having a meal together. Talk about your days, swap advice, make plans, ask how the other feels the relationship is going. By talking things out it leaves no room for any misunderstandings.
2. Accept each other’s differences: Don’t look at the other person’s differences as an issue. Look at them as an opportunity to learn. You may agree or disagree with these differences, but that’s what makes a healthy relationship.
3. Pay your partner a compliment: This makes your partner feel loved and appreciated. It keeps the romance alive and can help make them more confident to go after their goals.
4. Be open-minded: Change is inevitable in any relationship and it’s important to support each other through it. Change can sometimes be scary, but the impact can often have a positive impact. It’s important however that if this change does upset you in some way, that you discuss it with your partner.
5. Admit when you’re wrong: Be gracious in your apology and learn from your mistakes. Apologies can bring closure to an argument and make you and your partner feel better.

MyMind provides relationship and couples counselling in our centres in Dublin, Limerick and Cork.

To book an appointment, simply click on the button below, call us at 076 680 1060 or email hq@mymind.org

By Sarah Walsh