Be Empowered

The Black Pages on March 8, 2020

Relationships

Relationships are an integral part of our lives and essential to the human experience. Like a flower watered with consistent attention and genuine effort, relationships with family and friends can blossom to be one of the most rewarding aspects of our lives.

Would you be your own friend?

Stay in touch and know that trust and sincerity are the foundations upon which all relationships are built. Friends and family should come to count on you as someone trustworthy, honest, and dependable with good intentions. In any good relationship, there is no room for superficiality, pretense, or shallowness. Become the type of friend or family member you wish to have!

Stay in Touch; Be Trustworthy and Sincere

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Can you hear?

Always take a genuine interest in what others have to say. Cultivate healthy relationships by giving your undivided attention. Be fully present in the moments that you spend with others. Often times we hear someone but don’t actively listen to what the other person is saying. To actively listen means you are engaged with what is being shared and are trying to understand the emotions and feelings that are being communicated. Listening is a sign of respect and engagement.

Take an Interest and Learn to Listen

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Do you live in a bottle?

Without consistent care and attention, close relationships cannot last. There is so much that you can share with your friends and family. Share sympathy, encouragement, and praise. Openly give your time, companionship, wisdom, and kindness. Tell your loved ones how much you value them and why they are special to you. These actions are seldom forgotten and often reciprocated. Remember, it’s the little things!

Open Up, Share, and Care

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Have you made respect optional?

For many of us it can be difficult, even painful, to realize that a friend, family member, colleague, or partner is not treating us with the respect or courtesy that we deserve. Speak up, and do not be afraid to step away from potentially harmful situations and to remove negative influences in your life. Never submit to any kind of verbal or physical abuse, and always “to thine own self be true.”

Avoid Unhealthy Relationships