These tips can help you fortify your friendships and romantic partnerships in the year ahead.
Relationships are beautiful, tricky things that affect our well-being every bit as much as what we eat and whether we get enough sleep.
That’s why The New York Times’s Well section takes relationships seriously, tapping some of the world’s leading researchers and therapists for guidance about what strengthens our friendships, marriages and family relationships — and what threatens those bonds.
Sometimes, they give sweeping advice that seems as if it would take a lifetime to accomplish. Other times, they offer a simple but effective nugget. With that in mind, here are seven of our favorite pieces of relationship advice from experts over the past year.
1. ‘Repot’ your friendships.
If you are looking to strengthen your platonic bonds, consider “repotting,” a strategy that fosters closeness by refreshing how you connect with a friend, said Marisa G. Franco, a psychologist and the author of “Platonic.” Perhaps you ask a co-worker to come to your next book club meeting. Or ask the friend you typically meet for happy hour to go for an “awe walk.” Novelty can enliven your connection, and spending time in different contexts lets you experience different sides of a friend’s personality.
2. Dating? Mind the ‘yellow flags.’
If you are on the dating scene, you may have become pretty darn adept at spotting “red flags,” but “yellow flags” — behaviors or attitudes that signal you should proceed with caution — can be trickier for even the savviest dater to identify. Jancee Dunn, Well’s newsletter columnist, looked at the subtler signals to watch out for in a potential romantic partner: Does your date think all of his or her old partners are crazy? Does your inner circle have reservations about your new relationship? Those aren’t necessarily deal breakers, Jancee found, but they are warning signs that are worth your attention.