Ten Steps to a Solid Relationship
by admin
Work on yourself continuously. Notice this is number one. Of course it is easier to work on the other person, but becoming the best person you can be in all areas of your life is the best thing you can do for a relationship.
Forgive. No matter what the hurt, we must forgive for our own sakes. There are times when prudence says to forgive and leave the relationship. Forgiveness may take years, but it begins with the conscious decision to forgive. Only then can healing begin.
Keep your sense of self. According to my “Meatball Theory of Relationships,” a half a meatball connecting to another half a meatball does not become a good relationship or a good meatloaf. Be whole and find another whole to connect with. Do not lose your wholeness to the other meatball. Be complimented by it and add to the other meatball as well.
Maintain your own professional dreams, your friends and your hobbies while allowing your partner the same. Example: Play golf together occasionally, but don’t give up tennis with your friends.
Compromise. Everything does not work out equally in a relationship. Sometimes the other person’s needs must come first; sometimes life is not fair. Sometimes we have to be flexible. Sometimes we have to sacrifice and sometimes life sucks.
Admit when you are wrong even when that is only a remote possibility. It opens the door to discussion and restructuring it also diffuses arguments. In most conflicts both parties can usually find an area to accept responsibility.
Pray together. It doesn’t matter if your beliefs are very different; bring a spiritual dimension into the relationship. If you share beliefs, grow in them. If not, learn from each other and explore new paths.
Be loyal to each other. Complaining about a partner to friends or other family members (even in jest) always causes harm to the relationship. If something bothers you, discuss it with your partner or get impartial professional help.
Spend time together. It is so easy to grow apart from someone you see every day. Break the routine: spend real time together listening to each other and having fun.
Say the words, “I love you, I appreciate you, I admire and respect you, thank you, I’m sorry, and Please.” Somehow we easily forget these magic words with the most important people in our lives.
Relationships are precious but they take work. Some relationships prove to be toxic and should be dissolved. Problems are inevitable in relationships and each problem solved creates another building block in the foundation of a solid relationship.
Technorati Tags:
10 steps relationship solid relationship work forgive sense of self professional dreams compromise admit pray loyal time words
Add to: | Technorati | Digg | del.icio.us | Yahoo | BlinkList | Spurl | reddit | Furl |
1 comment
I think compromise and spending time together are so very important for a successful relationship. Thanks so much for this post.
Leave a Comment