We often have romanticized visions of long-term relationships when the truth is that relationships are not always easy. That is not to say that relationships can’t be fun, romantic, loving, caring, and exciting. Rather, relationships often come with many ups and downs and it is important to remember that disagreements, arguments, and rough patches are normal parts of any relationship.
Similar to physical exercise, Relationship Fitness is practiced to build healthy habits that help create positive, satisfying relationships. Remember, conflicts and challenges are normal, and they can even act as learning opportunities. Relationship Fitness utilizes these relationship bumps to promote techniques that help solve and avoid those conflicts in the future.
Relationship Fitness Techniques:
Oftentimes the way that we interact with our partner can have a huge effect on their perception of us and of the relationship. So, small gestures often go a long way. Some quick changes to consider are:
- Using “I” versus “You” language when having an argument- Tell your partner how you are feeling, rather than what they are doing wrong.
- Ask don’t assume- If something seems off don’t assume that your partner will come to tell you. Make sure to actively ask if they are okay in a caring and genuine manner.
- Actively acknowledge their achievements- If your significant other achieves a goal or comes home with good news, you should celebrate them and show you care. Get excited about their accomplishments!
- Show gratitude for gifts and acts of service- If your partner buys you a gift or does a kind act for you, make sure to acknowledge that you appreciate them instead of just acknowledging the gift itself.
These are some quick fixes to make in your relationship. They are easy to do and have a large impact on the health and experience of the relationship. However, these aren’t the only things that you should be doing to increase your Relationship Fitness. At Long Island Psychology, we want to help you make more long-term changes that encourage healthy relationship habits for both you and your partner. During Relationship Fitness Training we will work on:
- Finding complementing strengths in each partner
- Appreciating positive moments
- Building healthy passion, rather than obsessive or dependent passion
- Cultivating trust and support
- Practicing openness and communication
- Learning from challenges and conflicts
- Actively listening and internalizing criticism
Of course, every relationship and person is unique and it is important to recognize individual challenges that must be addressed. Nevertheless, studies have shown that many of these techniques have large lasting effects on the satisfaction and experience of our long-term relationships. Remember, the ups and downs are normal. How we use those challenges to promote changes in the future is the key to creating lasting relationships. To learn more about Relationship Fitness Building and our related programs please visit our Resilience Training Program page or call 516-732-0273. For more information about our Garden City and Rockville Centre, NY locations, please visit our contact us page.
