Do you want to have deeper more honest relationships and a lighter conscious? Here’s a few helpful hints:
Honesty is one important way to build a healthy relationship. The next time you feel like voicing an opinion, go ahead and do it. Trust your instincts. Frank answers-in kindness and in a spirit of love, and constructive feedback-delivered as lovingly as possible, is easier to take. The worst thing that can happen is that you accidentally offend someone. If that happens you can always apologize. The best thing that can happen is that you provide a person with some much-needed feedback that will help them and also help to build a great relationship with them. In turn that person will learn to ask your opinion more often and you will build confidence in being honest because you received a positive response. You’ll also build respect as your friends learn that you are someone who communicates openly and honestly.
Write your schedule out and keep to it the best you can. If something else comes up that you’d rather do, keep your commitments anyway. People learn to trust others who follow-through on what they say. Set a good example for your children otherwise you will confuse them and that will work to their detriment as they see and practice what you have modeled. Remember, actions speak much louder than words.
Always be cautious of giving advice unless it is asked of you. There is no faster way to turn someone off or even ruin a relationship than to give unwelcome advice. If someone does not ask your opinion it may mean that he or she probably doesn’t want it. The person might just need to share his or her situation with someone but maybe isn’t asking you how you would, or could, or should have done it. They just want to be heard. Be gracious just listen and with an air of friendship and acceptance.
Relationships are part of living a happy, fulfilling life. Remember that they are fragile and need to be nurtured and cared-for. So follow these words and your relationships will grow.