RELATIONSHIPS BACK COPING WITH INJURY RELATIONSHIPS ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOURS TRANSITION DEPRESSION ANXIETY & STRESS INCLUSIVITY WATCH THE VIDEO Positive relationships are one of the key pillars of mental health, happiness, resilience and wellbeing. Developing and maintaining good quality relationships – at home, with friends, in the workplace – is one of the most important things you can do for your health and wellbeing. And your success and performance, in sport and in life. Sometimes work and other activities or pressures get in the way of relationships. We can find ourselves neglecting people, not creating opportunities for spending quality time with people, and not being fully present with them even when we are physically present – e.g. by ‘phubbing’ them (prioritising your phone over the person you are with). Here are some ways to go about investing in, protecting and improving the quality of your relationships: Make a list of good friends with whom you haven’t met up with or had much contact with for months or even years. Contact them. Arrange to meet up. Do something with them – eat food, attend an event, just chill, reminisce, learn about what they have been up to. Agree to do it again in a few months, years or never (depending on what they are like now!) Take the time to be more fully with friend and family members. Carve out time to do something together, perhaps free from mobile phones. Go for a walk with them, a bike ride, the movies, play Cluedo, learn to dance with them. Forgive people. We all mess up, and say and do unhelpful things. Perhaps you are angry with someone, or disappointed with them. See if you can’t forgive them. Do this for yourself, as much as them. You don’t even have to tell them you have forgiven them, just act differently towards them. Sometimes it’s best just to move on from an unhappy event or situation and reconnect with people. Of course, if they continue to mess up, then perhaps spend less time with them in the future. Apologise. And get better at apologising. Apologising is commonly very good for improving relationships and stopping people drifting apart or feeling angry or disappointed with each other. And do it properly – not ‘I’m sorry you were upset by what I said, or did’ Become a better listening. Ask people what is going on in their lives. Listen, without jumping in with advice. Learn about ‘active’ or ‘reflective’ listening, saying something back to a person to check you have understood them. Help them feel listened too, heard, accepted and understood. Perhaps they will do the same for you. Join a new group, do some voluntary work, take a class. Learn to paint. Join a choir. Do some forestry work. Whatever appeals. Meet new people. Create the conditions for friendship to emerge. For further information, please visit: https://www.relate.org.uk/ LIFT THE WEIGHT Nolli Waterman: Supporting Others Dr Philip Hopley and Dr Tim Anstiss discuss how to recognise the signs that you may be becoming overly dependent on alcohol. READ MORE LIFT THE WEIGHT Netani Talei: Supporting Others Harlequins and Fiji back row Netani Talei suggests some ways to reach out to people who may feel isolated or unsettled in an unfamiliar environment. READ MORE LIFT THE WEIGHT Netani Talei: Being an Overseas Player Harlequins back row Netani Talei speaks openly about the isolation you can feel when playing far from home, without friends or family around to suppor... READ MORE NEWSLETTER SIGNUP SIGN UP OUR OFFICIAL PARTNERS OUR OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS ABOUT US Membership Meet The Team Team England LIFT THE WEIGHT News Events Restart JOIN THE RPA CONTACT US .cls-1{isolation:isolate;}logo-therpa-long https://www.ppf.org.uk/ https://www.rugbyplayers.org/ 2021 The RPA All rights reserved. Privacy Policy We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. To find out more, read our privacy policy ACCEPT