10 Ways to Improve Your Relationship

Being in a bad relationship can be damaging to us emotionally.  Sometimes the bad relationships that we are in are due to our lack of concern, love or selfishness.  Most of the problems that we have in relationships are rarely all of one sides fault.  Here are ten practical steps to improve a hurting relationship.

1) Be willing to admit to admit that you make mistakes.  We are all human and prone to misjudge, be selfish, and generally hurt the ones we love.  Be willing to look at yourself from your friend or lovers point of view. 

2) Love others through their faults.  Jesus is a great example for us in that He came and died not because of anything great about us, but that His love dictated his actions.   How much love that we choose to have for someone will dictate our forgiveness or the sacrifices that we make for our friends.  The more you love the more you will able to mend a relationship.  How much is the friendship worth to you? 

3) Understand that misunderstanding someone can be the total root of a relationship problem.  As humans our brain functions differently than computers.  We jump to conclusions about others based on facial expressions, gestures and tone of voice.  Sometimes what you hear is not what was being said.  Some of the biggest misunderstandings that I personally have had in relationships is due to my own misunderstanding of what my friend or lover was really trying to say.

4) Communication is key.  Always communicate, communicate, communicate.  When communication breaks down so does the relationship.  Always talk out your feelings and share what is going on in your brain.  Ninety percent of the time those who really love you cannot mind read.

5) Bring another mutual friend into the equasion to be a mediator.  Sometimes having a go between can be the only way you can communicate and come to a mutual understanding.  It has worked for countries of the centuries and can work for you to.

6) When you are faced with relationship issues fall on you knees.  God knows and understands what we are going through and can help us through it.

7) Be positive.  Bring happiness and light into your relationships.  You can get much further by being positive with someone than focusing on the bad.

Be sure to never use the words always and never.  You always leave the toilet seat lid up.  You never care about my feelings.  These words can be damaging at best because they say the other person never does the right thing.  It usually is not true that your friend or lover is consistently uncaring.

9) Physical touch.  Nothing can mend a relationship as much as physical touch.  This can be an extension of your feelings for someone else.  Hold someones hand or arm as you communicate.

10) Be willing to close relationships that are damaging to your character.  Know that some relationships cause us to become codependent in unhealthy ways.  Guard your heart and live against these situations.