Can strong relationships increase your wellbeing?

Relationships form a fundamental part of our lives and can deeply affect our outlook and happiness. In their 2024 Special Report, Relationships Australia¹ highlighted how the state of our relationships, whether thriving or struggling, can significantly impact our wellbeing.

Healthy, supportive relationships bring a host of benefits, including better mental health, reduced stress and loneliness, and improved overall wellbeing. On the other hand, when relationships falter, they can lead to stress, anxiety, mental health struggles, and a generally more negative perspective on life.

In this article, we’ll explore actionable steps to help you strengthen and sustain meaningful relationships, ultimately boosting your mental health and overall happiness.

Focus on communication

Why it’s important:

Effective communication is the foundation of any successful relationship. It prevents misunderstandings and helps resolve issues before they become a bigger problem.

Useful ideas:

• Regularly check in with your partner, friends or family to stay connected and tackle any issues early.
• Get into the habit of active listening. Fully focus on the speaker and summarise what they’ve shared to confirm you’ve understood correctly.
• When you express your thoughts and feelings, do it clearly and respectfully, rather than assuming others will know intuitively how you feel.

Develop understanding and empathy

Why it’s important:

Empathy deepens connections and builds trust and respect in relationships.

Useful ideas:

• Try to view situations from the other person’s perspective to better understand their emotions.
• Validate their feelings by acknowledging them, even if you don’t completely agree with their perspective.
• Offer kindness and reassurance during tough times, showing that you’re there to support them.

Consistent time and effort

Why it’s important:

Strong relationships need ongoing care and attention to flourish.

Useful ideas:

• Do activities that you both enjoy, whether it be exercise, a shared hobby, a course, or just spending quality time together.
• Celebrate achievements and milestones. Creating positive memories of special moments can strengthen your connection.
• Regularly express gratitude, reminding your loved ones how much you appreciate and care for them.

Be constructive with conflict

Why it’s important:

Disagreements are inevitable, but the way conflicts are managed can either strengthen or weaken a relationship.

Useful ideas:

• Address issues promptly to prevent resentment from building up.
• Focus on the specific problem at hand rather than rehashing past grievances or launching personal attacks.
• Work towards a compromise that satisfies both parties rather than focusing on ‘winning’ the argument.

Balance independence and support

Why it’s important:

Healthy relationships maintain a balance between personal independence and mutual support.

Useful ideas:

• Encourage and respect each other’s need for time apart and personal growth. Allow space for individual pursuits.
• Support each other to achieve your goals, celebrating or commiserating through successes and failures.
• Build a diverse support system that includes friends, family and community, ensuring you both have a well-rounded network outside the relationship.

Strong relationships play a big role in your mental health and well-being. By focusing on open communication, fostering empathy, dedicating time and effort, handling conflicts with care, and balancing independence with interdependence, you can cultivate strong, dependable relationships that can enrich your life.

Remember, all relationships require ongoing effort, but the rewards – enhanced mental health, reduced loneliness, and greater well-being – make it a journey worth pursuing.

¹ Relationships Australia. (2024). Special Report: The Impacts of Relationship Breakdowns on Mental Health, Wellbeing, and Future Outlooks. Retrieved from https://www.relationships.org.au/relationship-indicators/