Much of our happiness depends on the quality of our relationships with others. In family and in workplace, it is important to have healthy relationships in order to get the best out of life.

Even though we spend almost all of our lives with others, many of us still have problems in having smooth and balanced relationships. The schools and colleges don't teach us people skills. We are often left to fend for ourselves when it comes to maintaining social relations. And we often stumble.

So what makes a healthy relationship? There are a few common elements in any good relation, be it marital, friendly or official. Once these elements are in place, we understand people better and relate to them more effectively. It helps us have smooth sailing in the rough waters of interpersonal relationships.

In this article, we discuss 6 of such keys to healthy relationships. Each key is followed by a short description, and a question to ponder over. If we are honest with ourselves, we can find the way to improve our relationships through the answer to these questions. Ready to begin? Let's go.

Trust

The single most important element in any relationship is trust. Without a solid foundation based on complete trust, we lose the race before we begin. Remember that even harmless white lies can undermine the trust in a relationship. As the wise quote goes, it is a better compliment to be trusted than to be loved. We should be able to be honest with others, and let them get what they see. And we should expect and demand complete and sincere honesty back from them, too. But since we always have the power when it comes to writing our destiny, we can always take the steps to ensure there is an element of trust in all our relationships. If someone doesn't prove themselves worthy of trust, they are just not worthy of our relationship. Take a moment to consider this, are you honest in all your relationships? Can your family, friends and colleagues trust you completely? If you are afraid that being true would ruin the relationship, isn't that relationship just a big lie? Is it worth it? Stand your ground, and make a statement about what you are about.

Respect

Human dignity often gets trampled by what is called "familiarity". We often take others for granted. Every time we play with somebody's dignity, we are hampering our relationship with them. And after a while, there will just be no relationship left. Take a moment to think of your loved ones. Do you always and without fail treat them with the respect they deserve? Do you always ensure they get common courtesy from you? Or are you the kind of person who is polite and well-behaved with strangers, but rude and selfish in your own home? Do you think that familiarity really makes respect unnecessary? Would you like it if all the people close to you started treating you with disrespect? What can you do to remind yourself to treat your closest ones with respect? If there are relationships in your life where you don't get the respect you deserve, how can you deal with them so that you give up on the ones that you can't change, and change the ones you can?

Communication

When we fail to communicate, we fail to understand each other. Every healthy relationship keeps the lines of communication always open. Misunderstandings and conflicts can easily be resolved if we are willing to open ourselves up frankly. Since our methods of verbal and non-verbal communication often differ, we need to be very sure that we correctly understand where the other person is coming from, and they understand our point of view as well. We should learn to objectively view our communications and not let our prejudice color things. Selective hearing of only what we want to hear often causes problems in relationships. Ask yourself, do you communicate clearly? Do you always ensure that you do not take things for granted, and find out the true nature of things? Do you spend quality time talking with your friends, family etc, to rejuvenate your relationship? What can you do to improve the communication in your relationship?

Empathy

Care, thoughtfulness, empathy - all these add soul to a relationship. Everybody seeks to be understood, yet often fail to understand others. Remembering that we are different people coming from different backgrounds can often help us view each other more empathetically. Little thoughtful gestures help keep a relation alive. Let others have your support and care when they need them. It is important to understand that no two people are exactly alike - we may have to put ourselves in others' shoes to understand where they are coming from. Making a genuine effort to empathize and being slow to judge will help a relationship stand the test of time. Do you jump to conclusions as to what the other person is about? Do you at least try to see things from others' point of view, or stubbornly refuse to consider their views of live? Do you perform little acts of kindness just because? Most importantly, do you treat others the way you would like to be treated?

Laughter

Long-lasting relationships have an element of fun in them. You can never truly be close to someone you can laugh with. Having lighter moments will help ease the tension, soothe problems and tighten the bond between people. If your relationships feel stale and dull, think whether they have their share of laughter. Often, a fun vacation or even a comic movie can freshen things up. It is important to give in to our inner child every once in a while. A family that laughs together, stays together. When was the last time you shared a joke with your family? How often do you have light moments with your friends? Can you find fun in the company of your kids? What can you do to lighten things up in your own home?

Forgiveness

We are after all, only human. And we all make mistakes. Every once in a while, we would have to just overlook the imperfections in our partners, and forgive them for their faults. If we were all perfect, we would be Gods. Before you blame someone, take a moment to think whether it is really worth it. Pick your battles, let go of the ones that do not matter in the long run. So, your spouse never puts down the toilet seat. But they do clean the dishes don't they? Accept the little quirks in people. When they fall, help them to rise up, don't just throw mud over them again. If it is really something you cannot forgive, perhaps the relationship has come to an end. There are some things we just can't forgive, depending on our value system. If someone crosses that line, for example, if they try to make you give up your dignity, then it is not worth it. But in most cases, the grudges we hold are mere trifles. Wouldn't it be more liberating to just let them go? Think of the grudges you hold against people - are they worth it, or are they just polluting your peace? Wouldn't forgiving and forgetting help make things better for everyone concerned? Do they not deserve a second chance? Isn't the relationship worth more to you than the little imperfections? Who are you helping by holding on to past mistakes, because you are surely not helping yourself?

When we consciosly try to incorporate these elements into our relationships, they become healthier and successful. And if you initially fail in your efforts, forgive yourself and try again. After all, it doesn't matter how many times you fall down - all that matters is that you get back up.

If you like this article, please share this through social bookmarking sites and leave a comment.