Your relationships are probably pretty important to you… and we like to think that this bulldog crew is generally awesome at tending to the friends, family, and other loved ones who they care about the most. After all, we totally want to be friends with you.
When life gets crazy, though, it can be all too easy to forget to drop the teeniest conversational nuggets that make all the difference to the people you love. Relationships get stale, you’re talking less and less, and everyone feels a little less valuable than they should. We can’t just stand by and watch this happen! As we said, we already know that we want to be friends with you, and you’re too awesome to watch things unravel — even a little bit! — with your loved ones. You deserve better than that!
With that in mind, we’ve assembled a list of seven of those teeny conversational nuggets that you should be sure to share with friends, family, and partners ASAP. We’re willing to bet that they need to hear them… don’t we all?
1. “You’ve got it all under control.” We all get overwhelmed sometimes. And as nice at it is to know that you can call a friend to talk when you’re ready to vent or need to have a freakout moment, hearing someone tell you that they’re “here when you need to talk” can add this kind of weird pressure to be accountable to another person when you’re already feeling swamped in your own life. With that in mind, change up the way you approach situations of overwhelm with your loved ones in the future. Let them know how confident you are in their ability to navigate whatever chaos is in front of them. This vote of confidence might just give them the boost they’re looking for, and since you’re not expressing pity or sympathy, you may be the next person they call when they are ready to talk.
2. “I respect you.” We talk a lot about love in our coziest, most meaningful relationships… and that’s great! We love love around here. Still, respect is an entirely different matter, and it’s one that many of us rarely chat about openly with our favorite humans. Imagine how cool it would be if a friend or family member casually mentioned to you that they respect you, and explained the reasons why! Make that happen for someone else. It will take those relationships to a whole new level.
3. “Our relationship is very important to me.” Yes, your loved ones might know this in their gut, but that’s no reason they shouldn’t hear it directly from you. Too often, we’re so busy running from one thing to the next that we don’t think to stop and smell the roses or acknowledge the relationships that really matter. Even if it’s just a quick call, email, or text sharing this sentiment with someone you love, it will mean a lot to them… and it’s bound to take some of the pressure off next time there’s tension between the two of you.
4. “My favorite thing about you is…” It’s nice to hear what it is that draws people to us. Wouldn’t it be good to have a few of these details in mind next time you’re having a low-confidence day? Help your loved ones fill up their own self-esteem banks by being more open about the specific things you most like or respect about them. No detail is too small or silly!
5.”Let’s do something new together!” One great way to show someone you care about that you don’t take your relationship with them for granted is to suggest putting a twist on your shared routine! Plan a day trip, book flights for a spontaneous trip, finally get reservations at that restaurant that you’ve always talked about trying, or sign up to take a yoga class together. Getting out of the typical rhythm that you and this special someone have cultivated will give you a chance to build new memories and learn about each other from a totally fresh perspective.
6. “Do you want to clear the air about anything?” Unless we’re talking about a biggg argument, it can be tough to find the right time to address any weirdness or strain in a relationship that’s important to you. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t give our loved ones a chance to have the floor and clear the air about anything that’s bothered them between the two of you. When you give someone a chance to share their feelings (in a non-hostile way!), you reinforce how much they mean to you and how much you want to prioritize their mental and emotional health.
7. “I’ve got your back.” When the going gets tough and your loved one doesn’t feel like they have it all under control, they might just need a reminder that you’re always around for whatever support they need. This kind of a blanket statement is a great way to share that with them!
How do you think sharing these thoughts with your loved ones might help your relationships? Tell us on Facebook + Twitter!
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Featured image: Helena Lopes/Unsplash; Piggyback image: Scott Webb/Unsplash