All types of relationships have their ups and downs- it's part of being human. Good relationships have a positive impact on our lives. They thrive, they grow, they make us feel good (most of the time. Bad relationships are draining and stressful Andean have a negative effect on our physical and mental health. Often times we stay in these types of relationships out of fear, thinking the person will change, or not wanting to hurt the other person. Yet, we continue to hurt ourselves.
Truth time is asking yourself some pretty hard questions. What do I really want from my relationship? Does this person listen to me? Do I feel good around this person? Consider whether this person acknowledges you, cares for your emotions, willing to change the behavior that hurts you? Willing to talk about it?
Healthy relationships thrive on communication, mutual caring, honesty and fun. If you feel negative more often than not it's time to do some serious evaluation of what you really want and whether your relationship is serving you in a positive way. This is not a selfish mind-set. This is self-care. Too often I see people stay in unhealthy relationships and end up sick. I have seen people start taking anti-depressants to stay in a relationship. On the contrary, I have seen when people have gotten out of their unhealthy relationships many of their symptoms disappear.
Self-care comes in many forms. From taking care of your body physically, to making sure you are relaxing and de-stressing, grounding, and making sure you are surrounding yourself with positive people. Because we spend a lot of time with our relationships they often have a huge impact on our health. It is time to do a life evaluation. In the long run it will serve you well.
Note: Therapy is beneficial when a person wants to change but doesn't know how. Therapy doesn't work when a person doesn't believe they have any issues.