A successful relationship has specific characteristics in common. The above is factual, no matter the romantic, familial, professional, or casual type of relationship. All parties on the same page make relationships more stable and satisfying. Communication is always a key component of healthy relationships, but there are also other essential factors.
Put these ideas into action in all your relationships:
- Accept accountability. Ignore the 50-50 rule. Assume full responsibility for your relationships. Relationships require constant attention and adjustment. How well are you maintaining and giving time to your relationships?
- Show reliability. No matter the type of relationship, reliability is a crucial component. Trust and reliability are imperative, and it is impossible to overstate the importance of trust and reliability.
- When you make a promise, do you always follow through with it? Are others able to rely on you?
- What do others think of what you say? Without trust, relationships cannot survive. Making a sincere effort to be 100% reliable will help you make up for your past unreliability.
- Be willing to forgive quickly. We all make mistakes and have bad days. At some point, everyone you know will hurt your feelings or let you down. However, it’s okay since you’ll invariably do the same thing someday.
- There are rough spots in every relationship, and it is impossible to fix the relationship if you cannot forgive and forget. You and everyone else are human, so allow yourselves to be imperfect.
- Take heed. Communicating effectively can’t be accomplished without paying full attention to the other person. Close your laptop and turn off the television. Make sure that other people in your relationships have time to communicate with you.
- If something is unclear after they finish speaking, clarify it. Feel free to speak up so there will be no miscommunication.
- Let your needs be known. Communicate your needs and expectations to others. Most disagreements in all types of relationships are caused by someone’s expectations not being met. Making your voice heard is not a sign of weakness, and that’s a strong statement.
- Most of us expect others to read our minds and act accordingly, which is unfair and ineffective.
- Be careful what you say. A few seconds are all it takes to say something that takes years to undo. Learning to pause before saying anything further will prevent you from saying harsh things in the heat of the moment. A few seconds of keeping your mouth closed could avoid a lot of relationship drama.
- Acceptance is key. Usually, an individual’s “flaws” are permanent. In any relationship, you must be able to overlook and accept the other person’s shortcomings. While it’s true that you shouldn’t ignore a serial killer, it does mean a relationship will be filled with grief without acceptance.
- Evaluate your relationships periodically. Occasionally, you would check your gas gauge in your car, and relationships should be approached with the same attitude as you would take when checking the gas gauge on your vehicle. Take time to look at your relationships and determine how they are doing.
Our lives are enriched in countless ways by rewarding relationships. We are happier and more successful when we have healthy relationships. For a relationship to thrive, it must be analyzed and attended to. Review your relationship and look for ways to improve it. Embrace forgiveness and communicate your needs. Life is made more meaningful when relationships are a part of it. Life is too short to live with misunderstandings!
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