February brings Valentine’s Day to mind for many of us, but the value of relationships doesn’t just lie in romance. February is Relationship Wellness Month, reminding us that creating and maintaining healthy relationships of all kinds is important to our overall wellness. It’s human nature to crave interactions with others and having a healthy relationship can actually extend your life by reducing stress, facilitating healing, and motivating you to make better lifestyle choices.

As you think about your own relationships, ask yourself whether you are getting your needs met and being treated with the respect you deserve. Here are some traits of healthy relationships:

• Active listening – without judging
• Trust and respect
• Making time for one another
• Remembering important details
• Teamwork
• Open, honest, and comfortable communication
• Doing healthy activities together
• Exercising restraint to not hurt one another’s feelings
• Willingness to work on creating a mutually beneficial relationship

A better“you” creates a better “we”

Each person in a relationship should feel healthy and whole with or without relying on another individual for that wholeness. While this can be difficult for any age, helping teenagers understand this as they form crucial – and possibly romantic – relationships can put them on the right course to creating and recognizing both healthy and unhealthy relationships.

The One Love Foundation was created for just that reason: It “empowers young people with the tools and resources they need to see the signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships and bring life-saving prevention education to their communities.” If you or a family member is struggling with relationships, remember that Transocean offers support and resources through these benefit plans:

• EAP resources are available, even if you are not enrolled in a UHC medical plan. You and each family member can receive six visits with experienced counselors at no cost for around-the-clock confidential support (access code: RIG).
• Self-help and behavioral health resources that are featured on the My Journey page, including the SelfCare by AbleTo app.

So while lavishing – or receiving – attention on one day of the year is nice, remember that being mindful of your relationship health every day is part of your journey to a lifetime of wellness.