How to Achieve Interpersonal Happiness

Interpersonal relationships play a huge role in people’s lives. Not only does it fulfill a range of both physical and emotional needs, but it allows people to be more grounded. It’s not just about developing people management skills. Instead, it is about finding people that you can bond with for your whole life. 

While romantic relationships are interpersonal, relationships among family and friends belong to this category too. These interpersonal relationships may also come at various levels. Your acquaintances, neighbors, and those people you meet and interact with regularly are all part of the interpersonal relationships that you keep. 

Simply put, you can build an interpersonal relationship with everyone else you meet. Given how important keeping these relationships is to your emotional, mental, and physical-mental being, you must know exactly how to keep them healthy and enjoyable. 

Stages Of Interpersonal Relationships

It takes time and effort for relationships to develop. Nothing good is ever built too quickly. Most interpersonal relationships that are successful are those that took time to develop. 

Have you ever heard of the term interpersonal effectiveness skills? Experts say that to build a good relationship with those around you, one must learn to develop the skills needed to keep your relationships healthy and growing. 

It all begins by identifying the stage of the interpersonal relationship you are currently in with a person. Look into the steps and see how you should be interacting with the different people in your life.

Acquaintance 

These are the people you just met. You barely know them except for their name and what they do for a living. 

Build-up

This is the stage where you begin to learn more about the other person. Perhaps you share more details about each other’s lives, including where they live or their social status. You may spend more time with them as friends or as lovers.

Continuation

This is the stage where you and the other person already have a comfortable relationship together. At this point, you can already share secrets and are able to trust one another with deeper emotions.

Deterioration

This is when you and the other person go through a falling out. It can be caused by many different factors, including a clash in your characters, irreconcilable differences, or a whole range of social differentiation. 

Ending

This is the part where you put finality in the relationship. People end their relationship most of the time because the other is no longer interested in keeping up the relationship.

Any successful interpersonal relationship will only go through the first three levels. Even if they dip into the deterioration phase, they can come back stronger as they work through their issues. They will continue by keeping each other in their lives. 

A relationship, however, between romantic partners or friends will go through all five stages. Some relationships don’t get past the first stage, either. A theory by Levinger suggests that interpersonal relationships to succeed must be dynamic in nature. They should be as varied as the people in them.

Why Is It Important To Keep A Relationship?

Keeping interpersonal relationships is essential for a person to achieve happiness in both the physical and emotional realms. Relationships help people fight loneliness in the same way that it gives you a sense of purpose in your life. 

For example, your interpersonal competence is put to the test if you are able to turn acquaintances into good friends you can keep for life. Friends and family become an essential part of who you are. They bring about a positive effect on you. Sharing your interests or discovering a new hobby will help you find true happiness. 

All interpersonal relationships should be built on values you and the other person share. It should be about support, trust, and loyalty. Close relationships may also be made on showing love for each other. Mutual respect is also an essential part of maintaining good relationships. 

How Do You Say Goodbye?

Not all interpersonal relationships you build are kept for life. In fact, many of them will not go beyond the acquaintance stage. If a new friend doesn’t call back or if a new acquaintance does not become a friend you keep for life, do not fret.

Some relationships are not meant to last. 

Various factors affect the success or failure of a relationship. You might have broken up with your partner in a romantic relationship, but that is not the only interpersonal relationship that will come to an end. 

Why are interpersonal skills important? It is not just about keeping people you can trust in your circle. It is also about the peace that you find from within yourself. When you know you can get the help that you need, it is reasonably easy to move on with your plans. 

For example, when you graduate from school, you won’t be able to stay in touch with all your friends and teachers. Some of them will move on with their lives without you. 

It’s sad, but it is true. 

It is impossible to keep all the relationships you want in this lifetime. Throughout your life, you will gain people and lose some along the way. You have to make sure you keep the ones worth keeping. 

What Is Your Takeaway?

Whether it is your home, leisure, or work activities, the interpersonal relationships that you make touch all aspects of your being. Without the strong relationships that you build for yourself, it would be impossible to feel valued or loved. 

When you lack the social support that you need, you might find it difficult to move on and make good with what you have. 

Today, it has become even more impossible to build good interpersonal relationships due to technology. While digital communication still encourages communication, it presents a different kind of opportunity.

People who work from home miss out on the chance to interact with the people that they work with. Friends and family may opt to text or chat rather than sustain a live conversation. 

Interpersonal relationships won’t be possible if you do not have a good relationship with yourself.

Invest in self-care. When you don’t have issues with yourself, it will be easier to build a good relationship with others.