Communicating in our Relationships and Families

     Hey everyone! Hopefully it was a good week for you.  It was a ride for me.  I pretty much hit every point on the emotional spectrum this week so it was definitely an interesting one.  I am quickly learning that that is basically what life is like nowadays, so I am at peace with that fact, I guess.

            One of the biggest things that has been going through my head this week has been what I have done in the past (in terms of steady dating) and what I need to do to improve.  Its funny, because in those moments, I would feel that everything was good, until it was too late for me to right my wrongs.  As I realized these happenings this week, I saw that it came down to the lack of communication skills on my part.  Conveniently, that was what we discussed in my family relations class this week, communication.

            First off, I want to say that we are all entitled to our own opinions and ideas.  Those ideas and opinions are essentially what makes us unique and individual.  However, these important parts of us are more often then not what draws us apart as couples, marriages, and societies.  You don’t need to look far nowadays to see the dissension created by disagreements on topics big and small.  Just think about how much happier we would all be if we simply talked our thoughts, and (this is the most important part) actually listened when others shared theirs.  The listening part has always been what I struggled with.  I always thought I was doing what I needed to in order to be there for my partner in my past relationships, but looking back, my lack of application of their needs showed otherwise.  That is by far one of, if not, my biggest regrets in life.  However, considering the fact that we are all imperfect, we need to learn and move on.  I invite you all to listen before you speak this week.  I promise you as you do that, your relationships in life will be strengthened.  Once others see how important their opinions, thoughts, and needs are to you they will start to return the favor.  They will be more likely to go out of their own way to make sure that you are happy as an individual.  I pray that you all apply this aspect better than I have in the past.  But here I am, trying my best to do better.  I guess that is all we can do when we notice our shortcomings. 

            Once you realize these shortcomings, it is absolutely vital that you acknowledge the fact that you are trying to be better through communicating that to your significant other, coworkers, family, etc.  Utilizing communication in this way will show that you are putting in greater effort for others, reaching out to them, and striving to improve at putting them first.  We have forgotten how to do this as a people.  Let us all get off our high horses and apologize for what we have done to others before its too late. 

            Sorry this week’s blog may have felt like a bit of a rant, but that is what I have been learning about myself.  The importance of communication and how we all (especially me) need to do better at it because our relationships and our society depends on it.