How do you make your relationships great (or better) this year?
This is a good question and based on the responses we got from a recent survey we conducted, there certainly are some interesting questions about how to create more love and connection in their lives.
What we’ve discovered about creating a great relationship is this…
EVERYTHING you do, say or believe is either moving you closer to or further from the love and connection you really want.
It’s really that simple.
Just decide what you want and then use your emotions and your happiness as your guides for how you’re doing. Then constantly “course correct” much like a pilot of an airplane would do when flying from one place to another until you create what you want.
Here are some additional specific tangible tips and ideas you can use for making your relationships great…
See how each of these ideas might work in your life to help you create more of what you want.
1. Be more open.
Although “being more open” means something completely different to every one, a simple way to put it is to do and say things that allow another person to more deeply understand who you are. It also means understanding more deeply who someone else is.
Recently we watched an episode of the television show “Ugly Betty” and in this show was a terrific example of what we mean by “being open”…
Quite by accident, Betty and another character in the show who don’t usually like one another had a short, meaningful conversation. They shared something truthful about themselves to each other and it was something they ordinarily didn’t do. They were briefly open to each other–more open than they had been.
Does this mean that you share your intimate secrets with your co-workers?
Not really–but it does mean to look for opportunities in all parts of your life to open in new ways to others to allow you to know someone and then to know you at a deeper level.
2. Take a vacation.
It’s cold and snowy right now where we live and a good time to plan a vacation. Whether you spend a lot of money or not on your get-away, begin planning to take some “down” time with someone you care about, or go by yourself, doing something fun, exciting or relaxing.
We’re planning to spend a few days in March with our friends at Folly Beach near Charleston, South Carolina. We’ll have some time alone and also time socializing with our friends. We’ll be doing some things that we don’t normally do–and having fun in a different place.
Your get-away might even be something you’ve wanted to do but haven’t gotten around to doing yet.
Where have you always wanted to go and what have you wanted to do that you haven’t yet done?
Take this opportunity to make some plans to relax and do something a little out of the ordinary. Everybody needs a little R & R to rejuvenate so be sure to plan to take yours.
3. Spend More Time Alone.
It may seem contradictory to suggest that spending time alone can help create great relationships but it can and does. When we are so tightly scheduled that we with activities and people, many of us tend to lose connection with ourselves and with others. We find that we are just going through the motions of whatever else is on our list of things to do.
That “alone time” can be in the form of meditation, a walk, or simply sitting and breathing. If you have no alone time, schedule in at least 15 or 30 minutes so you can quiet yourself and stop “doing.”
Here’s a suggestion…
Don’t spend your alone time hashing over what you should have done or wish you had done in a situation. Regret, guilt, resentment, and worry is a waste of your “alone time.” We suggest you spend your time in the present moment and in appreciation for yourself and those in your life.
There’s always a way to get a little time by yourself. We invite you to take yours on a regular basis.
4. Spend More Time Together.
Who do you want to spend more time with? Take this opportunity to call that person for a “date” and then go and enjoy yourself.
Is there a friend you haven’t seen in awhile and you just don’t seem to get around to calling and setting up a time to get together?
Are you and your partner constantly moving in different directions and you never seem to be able to find time to even sit down and talk?
We never know how long we have on this earth and we only really have today so make a connection with someone who you care about or even someone you’d like to get to know.
The two of us learned a long time ago that you have to “feed” the relationships that you want to grow. Do something today to grow yours and you’ll find more love and fullness in your life than you ever thought possible.