Happy Families

The hardest relationship issues to address can be those that surface within our families. If you have a misunderstanding in your family here are three easy steps you can take to open up fresh possibilities and get the relationship on to a new footing.

1. Understand how you feel.

Your feelings drive your behaviour, and if you have no idea what you are feeling you will not be conscious of how you are behaving or how much those feelings are influencing not only what you say but how you say it. Becoming more aware of your own feelings and taking responsibility for them will reduce the blame and criticism game that stops effective communication. If you feel too full of emotion to communicate with kindness, sit down and write your feelings out. Then burn it. Giving vent helps and not dumping it on someone stops the cycle of hurt and upset.

2. Be willing to change.

Relationships are like sharks, they have to keep moving or they die. Being stubborn and wanting to stay right or remain feeling wronged means there is no opportunity for anything to change. When you see a disagreement or misunderstanding as an opportunity to grow and learn, you will unleash creative ideas for solutions.

3. Practice forgiveness.

Resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Forgiveness is simply the willingness to set yourself free and live your life wholeheartedly.  There are lots of simple practices you can do to start this process: visualisations, meditations, affirmations, which will help you develop the courage and stamina to put forgiveness into action.   

When you work on building loving and supportive relationships everyone within the family benefits.

Keep growing.