Starting, maintaining and ending relationships can all be stressful.
BEING SINGLE
Although it is sometimes hard to recognize, there is a lot of social pressure to enter a relationship. Perhaps it’s your mom asking why you aren’t dating someone or a friend from high school who goes on and on about his/her boyfriend/girlfriend, then hesitates to ask about your romantic life because you’re not dating anyone. Whether you have chosen to be single or you have found yourself in that situation, there are a lot of benefits from your current situation. You should take advantage of those that best meet your needs.
Being single can allow you to…
- date several people.
- spend money on things that you like.
- learn more about who you are.
- spend as much time with your friends as you want.
- flirt without worrying about the repercussions.
- not have to “check in” with someone.
Being single is a respectable and healthy choice. You can have more time to focus on a career, hobbies, travel, and hanging out, without feeling that you left someone out.
EVALUATING A RELATIONSHIP
Is your relationship stressing you out? These are characteristics of a healthy relationship. If these don’t describe your relationship, it may be a source of stress for you. In a healthy relationship you…
- have fun and grow together.
- feel like you can be yourself.
- maintain honesty, trust and good communication.
- build friendship and respect.
- handle conflict.
- have accountability, partnership and dedication.
- share healthy sexuality.
Conflict Resolution in a Relationship
At the core of any successful relationship is the ability to communicate and resolve conflict. Included here are guidelines and exercises to help you resolve conflict.
Ending a Relationship
Tips on moving on, ending a relationship, starting a new relationship, and questions to ask if a relationship may be abusive.