One of the great means of peace while living on this earth is pleasant relationships. It’s not always easy. It is wonderful that God has blessed us with different personalities, gifts, and points of view. However, because of these differences, it is sometimes difficult to live in harmony.
I was doing some reading today about mind focus, and as I reflected, I was lead to two simple ways to enhance and improve any relationship.
Before I share, I will say that one word can make all the difference. That word is focus. Here’s how:
1. Focus on your best self. At this point you may ask, “aren’t we supposed to focus on the other person’s needs to help the relationship grow?” I will answer yes. However, you cannot give to someone else unless you are aware of your own positive qualities and strong points. When you focus on your own goodness, beauty, and talents you will feel like you have more to give away. Also, the more you love yourself for who you are, the more you will love others for who they are.
2. Focus on the best in others. It is so easy to focus on the faults of others, and the things they do that we don’t like. We all do it at some point, no matter how hard we try not to. The problem is that the more you dwell on the negative traits of others, the more likely you are to see them continuously. The good news is that the opposite is true. When you focus on the beautiful, positive qualities of others, you tend to see those qualities more often. You enjoy their company more. Even if they still do some of those things you don’t like, you are more likely to look past them and not allow them to bother you like they did before.
If you can focus on these two simple ideas, you will immediately see positive changes in your relationships that may be difficult. I have seen it in my own life. The relationship between my wife and I is still far from perfect. However, it is much better than it was simply because both of us decided to focus on being the best people we could be, and trying to focus on the positive qualities of the other. We still communicate any differences, but if there are any disagreements, they are handled in a much more cordial manner. Following these simple ideas has taken a great deal of stress off our relationship.
If you are struggling with any relationship today, I challenge you to focus on these simple, easy to do guidelines. It may not instantly take away all negativity, but you will see immediate positive changes. Enjoy the blessings : )