Contributed by: Erika on Friday, May 14 2010 @ 08:57 am
Last modified on
Looking to improve relationships in your life? Maybe the last ones simply didn't work out or the one you're currently in could use some "tweaking." We've all had successes and the opposite in our relationship history. But did it occur to you that there are three simple things you can do to improve relationships across the board? Whether a romantic one or one in the workplace, these three tips can put you on the path to relationship (and personal success) if you make them a part of your daily (yes, daily) routine.
Improve Relationships Through Self-Love - Hey, you're a great person! Stop thinking you're not. The first step to improving relationships in your life is to start with the one you have with yourself. If you think you're worth less than the best or deserve less than you have, you're placing yourself in a position where nothing's going to work out. Not that promotion, not a second date. Remind yourself that you're worth nothing but the best and while we all must compromise, we should never have to settle. Keep this in mind the next time you're poking around profiles on an online dating site, too. Know the partner you'd like to share your time with and tell yourself you deserve to have someone special in your life. Then live it!
Improve Relationships Through Communication - When we're able to effectively communicate our wants and needs, we place ourselves in a very powerful position. Never be afraid to speak up and share with a co-worker or partner what you want. If you're consistently being beat down for expressing yourself, it's time to re-evaluate the situation and determine if that, indeed, is the right environment for you in which to grow. If we can't grow with someone or in the company of colleagues who support our desire to engage in open dialogue, then it's a better move to consider moving on and finding the relationship that will feed us instead of hold us back. But how do you know you're being pushed down? Consider the last time you tried to express discontent or your feelings about a situation. Does the other party in the equation see you as always "complaining?" We all complain sometimes, but if you're not complaining and expressing a desire to dialogue about an issue, then maybe the issue isn't with you.
Improve Relationships Through Reciprocation - We've all been there: the draining relationship. They're the ones that seem to take from us and leave us feeling empty inside, like we have nothing left to give. They're the ones that make us weary when we leave the office or too exhausted to even try talking to our partner. Great relationships are about giving from both sides (not give and take). We meet in the middle. Great leaders in the business world inspire and support those around them, elevating those people to greatness and in turn, improving themselves along the way. Great partners in our romantic lives love themselves, communicate with us and continually assess the relationship to ask: "How can I be a better partner?" Reciprocation doesn't have to be you cook dinner/your partner cooks dinner. It can be as simple as saying, "I appreciate everything you do for me. Is there anything I can do for you to say thank you?" Words like that go miles towards letting a partner know that you're present and engaged. In the business world, while the phrasing might be different, there's nothing wrong with showing appreciation and offering to pick up the slack to make someone's life easier, especially when they've done the same for you.