Once in a while, we need to brush away the cobwebs and scrub the leftover grime from our relationships.
This week I appeared on WKYC Channel 3’s morning show, All About You with Alexa Lee. The topic was “Spring Cleaning Your Relationships.”
Spring is a great time to remind ourselves to brush away the cobwebs! Below are four ideas on how to sweep away the dustballs in our relationships, whether it be with a spouse, a friend, or a family member:
- Addressing unfinished business with someone is a great way to clear the air in a relationship. If there is an interaction that feels incomplete or not tied up, now is the time to talk about the subject.
- Make an apology. If something is nagging at you about the relationship, look within yourself and ask if there is an apology or an amend that needs to be made on your part. Getting an apology off your chest can be one of the best things you can do for yourself and your relationship. It takes humility and accountability, so be prepared for a personal growth spurt!
- Address the elephant in the living room. Avoidance is the number one way to kill a relationship. Something can start as a small grievance and if shoved under the rug, can grow like a fungus! Pull the topic from under the rug and deal with it before it becomes the kiss of death!
- Assess how much you initiate in the relationship. Be honest, and if it feels lopsided because the other person is initiating contact more than you, do what you can to balance it out a bit. Pick up the phone, send a text, make an invitation, etc. When you initiate anything in a relationship, the underlying message is “I’m thinking of you. You matter to me.”
You can watch the interview here:
You bring yourself to every relationship and have zero control over the other person. The only thing you have control over is how you show up in the relationship. If you do the above four things, you’ll have peace of mind and be giving that relationship the best chance of thriving.
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