Build Strong Relationships.

Strong relationships are one of the most-important factors for a persons well-being and happiness. Relationships take work and persistence. Strong ones don't happen overnight, but the rewards are worth the work.

How to build strong relationships and keep them!

1. Make a list of the most-important relationships in your life despite the shape they are in currently.

2. Research proves that people with strong relationships live longer, happier and healthier lives.

• Who are the first people you think of when you have good or bad news? These are most-likely the most important relationships in your life.
• Nurture these relationships that are most important to you.
• Sometimes there are family members, friends or co-workers we would like to have a closer and healthier relationship with, but for different reasons they are strained. Often the distance or lack of relationship is due to unresolved conflicts, abuse, neglect etc. Sometimes it is better to realize that nothing one person can do alone will change the other person and accept the relationship for what it is.

3. Some ways to build relationships are:

• Be consistent. Show that you care about them with your actions.
• Do something nice for someone else when you feel down yourself.
• Make a phone call or write a short note just to tell them how much they mean to you.
• Be present when they need you most. When someone says they "want to be left alone", many times they really want and need to talk.
• Be supportive and happy for the good and bad times like promotions, lay-offs, birth of a child, deaths, buying a new home or new car.
• Be yourself, be real. If everyone had the same opinions, appearance, education and race the world would stagnate.
• Smile and try to stay positive. People are drawn to healthy and happy people. Being healthy and happy is a much a state of mind as physical reality.

4. Learn from your current and past relationships.

• Not all relationships will last a lifetime. Sometimes people are in our lives for a season to teach us a lesson.
• If you have had a relationship end because of a conflict learn from your past errors and forgive them to free yourself.
• Keep in mind that "water seeks its own level", meaning we usually attract individuals who are about as emotionally healthy as we are. If you keep finding yourself around people that bring you down take a look at the persona you are portraying.