Building Healthy Relationships- My Experience
I am not an expert on this topic, but I strive to build & maintain healthy relationships in my life. Growing up, I struggled to build friendships, let alone keep them. I was shy as a kid but had a big heart. My mom always said I wore my heart on my sleeve. If anyone else has struggled with this, you tend to get hurt emotionally as not everyone feels the same as you.
Read more: Building & Maintaining Healthy RelationshipsI try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt unless they prove me wrong. I still try to understand where that person is coming from & empathize w/ them. In each of us, there are internal messages that rule our thoughts, emotions & behaviors. These internal messages dictate how we react to one another. You have probably figured out that I have done some deep work on my journey.
It wasn’t until I looked deep within myself & changed the behaviors that prevented me from having healthy relationships. It took a lot of courage to face those fears & defects of character. I realized that though I had to work on some areas in my behaviors, I had some great qualities too. The portal to having healthy relationships starts with loving yourself first.
Maintaining My Healthy Relationships
Once you’ve accepted yourself just as you are but are willing to change parts of yourself, the door is open to building healthy relationships. I have been able to rekindle broken relationships & establish long-term love relationships. My circle stays small for a reason. I avoid drama unless it’s beyond my control. If a relationship becomes toxic or unhealthy, I am less likely to make time for it unless necessary.
My husband & I seek peace & serenity in our life. We have created that world for us. I am so grateful to have been healed enough to meet him, marry him & build a life together. Our home is our sanctuary & we are cautious with who we invite in. There is so much negativity out in the world & I believe everyone should have a sacred space, wherever that may be.
Healthy Relationships In A Broken World
Nowadays, so many people are offended by so many topics that I feel guarded in my word, thought & deed. I feel the need to censor myself & hold back on my opinion for fear of retaliation or rejection. It’s sad that if you state your opinion on social media, you could lose friends! What happened to Freedom of Speech or the adage to “agree to disagree.”
Conversations become limited & they shouldn’t be! I find myself just avoiding the topic entirely.
Where do we go from here? I remain in my close circle of friends, where we can speak freely & remain friends if we happen to disagree. I remind myself that I don’t always have to agree but accept the person just as they are. Choosing to identify rather than compare allows you & the other person to be human. The truth is, we are all human & fallible. We will fall short occasionally but I try to be the best version of myself daily.