In the whirlwind of this election season, stress and uncertainty have often put our most important personal relationships to the test. The key to enduring relationships lies in prioritizing communication, openness, and respect, but it’s easier said than done when life serves up overwhelming anxiety stemming from an endless stream of political media. Our well-being begins to take a back seat to burnout.

“Communication is the lifeline of any relationship. Without it, the relationship will starve itself to death.” — Elizabeth Bourgeret

Authentic conversations, where both people feel seen, heard, valued, and safe, can open a space for healing and transformation. Conversations improve our relationships and help build a steadfast foundation of trust and emotional security that can buffer against external stress.

It is possible to repair fractured connections with communication and respect. Healing within relationships is extremely important, as our closest relationships hold the potential to become powerful sources of personal growth and mutual support. Here are some tips to repair and transform relationships, deepen love connections, and heal hurt or pain.

Affirming love:

• Love can take time to mature. Recognize that everyone develops feelings of love in their timeframe, but that doesn’t mean we can’t express affection and gratitude.
• Maintaining love requires patience, trust, and understanding.
• Understanding the other person’s viewpoints, values, and opinions can strengthen bonds, affirm feelings of love, and nurture a sense of well-being.

Building a connection:

• Connections can be forged and strengthened simply by spending time together. Shared experiences turn into shared memories. Whether that’s sharing a hobby, a meal, or a game of cards, spending time together helps us deepen the connection in both our romantic and platonic personal relationships.

Maintaining healthy relationships:

• Transforming a struggling relationship into one that’s mutually satisfactory requires investment. An investment of time, patience, and effort. That can be achieved by dedicating time to each other, actively listening when the other person speaks, and supporting their goals, ambitions, and aspirations.

Healing:

• Healing is a non-linear process and may not be accomplished alone. As we heal, we must allow ourselves the same grace and understanding we extend to a friend or loved one. Allow time to process your feelings of hurt, sadness, and grief, and don’t be afraid to seek support from your loved ones or the wider community. Healing is the application of love to the places that hurt.

The role of communication:

• Communication is the lifeblood of any healthy relationship. Listening is a vital part of building empathy and a successful communication process. When we listen, we place ourselves in the other person’s shoes to better understand their point of view, even if it isn’t a shared perspective. Taking responsibility for our feelings using ‘I’ in our statements can avoid confusion, convey honesty, and diffuse defensiveness.

Like what you’re reading? Want more consciously prepared brain food?

Listen to this Harvesting Happiness episode: Healing Relationships Through Love, Connection, and Communication with Harville Hendrix PhD and Helen LaKelly Hunt PhD, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This episode is part of The Good Citizen’s Election Season Survival Guide to Restoring Common Sense and Sanity in a Crazy World — produced in collaboration with renowned, fair-minded subject matter experts who provide strategies that enhance critical thinking, increase civic engagement, and foster healthy pleasure to boost personal well-being and relationship satisfaction.

Take an even deeper dive with More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness on Substack and Medium.

GUEST BIO: Harville Hendrix, PhD, and Helen LaKelly Hunt, PhD, are internationally respected couple’s therapists, educators, speakers, and New York Times bestselling authors focused on helping couples, families, and educators strengthen their relationship knowledge and skills. Together, they have written several books with over 4 million copies sold, including the timeless classic, “Getting the Love You Want: How to Experience More Satisfying Relationships and Build a Lasting Source of Comfort and Intimacy With Your Partner.”

Harville and Helen also co-created Imago Relationship Therapy to promote the transformation of couples and families through a relational culture that supports universal equality. Additionally, they co-founded Imago Relationships International, a non-profit organization that has trained over 2,000 therapists and educators in 51 countries worldwide.

Their latest book, How to Talk with Anyone about Anything: The Practice of Safe Conversations, teaches us how to build bridges, not walls, with practical dialogue techniques that encourage mutual respect and understanding for safe conversations.