Relationships
Five tips to help keep your relationships positive
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As we’ve already mentioned here, healthy relationships help make a mind healthy. Here are five tips to help you keep relationships positive, even when that might not be easy.
TIP 1: 5-MINUTE CHATS
Talk to people you live with - even a five-minute chat can help your relationship. Mealtimes are a great time to connect! It helps to start a conversation with a kind tone and a smile.
TIP 2: BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN FEELINGS
Be aware of what makes you angry, or frustrated, or sad, or withdrawn. There is nothing wrong with any of these feelings. What counts is how you handle it. Try to think about what triggers these feelings. For example: "my mother always criticizes me," "my roommates are making a mess," "my things aren’t working," "my parents are fighting."
TIP 3: RESPOND, NOT REACT
In a conflict, it can be easy to react impulsively. Instead, try to cool off by taking a walk or watching relaxing videos, and waiting to talk until you feel calm. Take a few slow breaths and focus on the things around you in that moment. The weather. The sounds around you. Your breath. Try your best to explain how you are feeling. Ask for help if you have tried and cannot calm down or if the other person is not calming down.
TIP 4: CONNECT WITH PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOU
Think about five people who can support you. How do they make you feel about yourself? How do you feel about them? Choose who you spend your time with.
How can you support them? Could you help with chores around the house or take time to pause and listen when a friend is in need? Try to develop a habit of supporting others – it might help you live a meaningful life.
TIP 5: GRATITUDE HELPS YOUR RELATIONSHIPS GROW
Say ‘thank you’ in some way to two people who bring light and strength into your life. It could be in person or through a call, a message on your phone, a letter, or some other way. If you cannot reach them, you can connect with them in your thoughts by thinking about good memories you have shared together and giving thanks for what they have added to your life.
The article was adapted from a post on Voice of Youth, UNICEF's digital community FOR YOUTH, BY YOUTH.
Sometimes we all need some extra support
It’s OK to ask for help. To find additional support, call:
- 12355: A toll-free hotline that provides professional mental health and legal support to adolescents.
- 12320: A toll-free hotline that provides public health counselling, including mental health support.
