8 Ways to Improve Your Relationship and Your Life
Our life is filled with challenges and each day with the help of radio, tv, newspapers and the internet we learn more and more about what seems to be the dark side of life. Here is a list of things that relate to relationships. Each one will help make the world a better and more civilized place for us all.
ACTION 1: LIVING LOVE
When my love lets me love her, I consider it a special gift. It comes from a place deep within her and it is a gift that she does not give to me easily. When she lets me love her, she becomes open and vulnerable. She trusts that I will not hurt her. Each day I must remember to cherish love, honour love and treat love as though my life depended on it, because it does.
ACTION 2: THE ART OF SIMPLICITY
Can I ever do enough for the one I love? Can I ever give too much? Is anything I do for my love, too much? I don’t think so. You see, “love” has no EGO. It is about the person I love, it is not about me. Because I am in love, I never worry about spoiling her. I just love her and life becomes uncomplicated and beautiful.
ACTION 3: ACHIEVING BALANCE
A balanced life is a necessary ingredient to living a fulfilling and good life. When I am in balance I see beauty all around me, but when I am not in balance it is easier to criticize others, be tempted by others and I fail to experience gratitude for the blessings that make up each day. For me balance equates with eating properly, exercising regularly and living life in a manner that is consistent with my beliefs and values. Life is definitely a fine balance to pursue.
ACTION 4: ACTING ON YOUR PROMPTINGS
Each day I have several thoughts about other people that tell me to do this or that. And whenever a thought reaches the level of my consciousness I have the option of honouring it, or dismissing it. I choose what to do. When I honour a prompting I act upon it and in contrast, when I dismiss it I talk myself out of it by telling myself it’s either stupid, too expensive, they wouldn’t reciprocate, or it’s too time consuming. It is best to act on my promptings because generally they just make the world a better place.
ACTION 5: CREATING SUPPORT AND CONNECTION
It is truly a gift to be surrounded by good people. Look around and identify the five people you surround yourself with most each day. This is a reflection of the quality of your life at this moment, or if will give you a glimpse of what your life will become. Take a few minutes and do this. Now ask yourself, are you satisfied? My definition of “good people” are people who appreciate you as you are but at the same time will challenge you as they push you so you reach your highest potential.
ACTION 6: THE ART OF COMMUNICATION
Learning to communicate effectively is a critical component of connecting with others. To communicate effectively we have to be able to show empathy and compassion for others. However I consider “communication” an art. I realize that I must learn better ways to express myself. I have learned that loving my love is not enough but that I must also learn better ways to communicate effectively with the person I love. I believe that “communication” is a learned skill, a perfected skill and not something we automatically do well because one day we learned how to talk.
ACTION 7: THE MEANING OF TRUST
“Trust” like “love” is a gift that should neither be abused nor mistreated. “Trust” means I can rely on you. It means I can believe in you. “Trust” means that no matter what happens I will not be alone because…..you will always be there. “Trust” means I believe what you tell me and you are who you say you are. “Trust” is magical. It has mystical qualities and potential and when it is experienced between two people it is beautiful. But because people are human “trust” may through the course of a relationship be breached. When this happens “trust” is to know that I can forgive and you will never abuse my trust or take it for granted again.
ACTION 8: THE VALUE OF CONTRIBUTION
We are all challenged in life by “spiritual lessons” whose purpose is to teach us, stretch us and help us grow. I believe that endings do not exist…only beginnings. Life is a continuum. It begins with our birth and ends with our death. The purpose of our life is for each of us to be the best version of our self. The purpose of life is for each of us to make a contribution that will make this world better on the day we leave it than on the day we were born into it. What do you want your contribution to be?
The greatest benefit is derived from giving to others. The “8 actions” are more about thinking of others and giving to others and doing your part to make this world a better place. At the same time they represent ways you can give to yourself because when you put out positive energy, positive energy is returned to you in some form. I urge you to make a concerted effort to incorporate these “actions” into your life each day. Together they hold the promise of improving your relationship and making this world a much better place for us all.