Always do your best……..when relationships need healing, we must look within. Our relationships are so important to our well being; they are the glue that bonds life together, and they represent the single biggest growth opportunity that we all have to work on. We have many different types of relationships, and in each of them we play a different role…lover, parent, boss, co-worker, family and friend. They all need different things from us, but none of them can flourish if they are not built on a foundation of trust. Without trust our relationships do not function and neither do we. Trust allows us to use what we know about a person when we have to navigate the difficult times. It stops us from pointing the finger at everyone else, and forces us to take responsibility for our relationships.
We will not gain trust because we demand it….just as we cannot demand respect, we must earn it. Relationships need nourishment; and that means you have to be making emotional deposits daily. Because you cannot make withdrawals from an empty account. Examine how you analyze your relationships. How do you tell your stories? Does all the blame fall to the other person to do all the heavy lifting? Are you constantly in a place where you say “they don’t” instead of saying “I have to.” Your power resides in the domain you have over your own thoughts and actions. We need harmony in our lives; and the only way to achieve it, is to do our best with every single person we have a relationship with…..and if they are blaming you…..be honest with yourself….and ask what is the 2% truth in that feedback? Things always get better when we start with ourselves.
Stephen R. Covey said “Look first to yourself. To improve your relationships, don’t look to others to change and don’t look to easy shortcuts. Look to yourself. Be honest with yourself first. The roots of your problems are spiritual, and so are the root solutions. Build your character and your relationships on the bedrock of principles. Trust is the glue of life. It is the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
By Lisa Scott Executive Life Coach