Growing Healthy Relationships

Having healthy relationships is a matter of taking the time to nurture them. It's a lot like caring for a plant. I noticed the other day the leaves of one of our plants drooping onto the hard, dry soil in the pot. The poor plant didn't have the ability to get any more moisture from the parched ground. It seemed that neither Susan nor I had noticed its sorry state since we both assumed that the other had been taking care of the plants.

Relationships, like plants, need care and attention to thrive. It can seem so easy to get busy with our daily activities that we only see in hindsight when our relationships start to suffer. We perhaps notice it first with those we are closest to but the decay will spread to all of our relationships if we don't give them the attention they deserve. Too many people wait too long before doing anything about their relationship problems.

Relationship Advice

It isn't always easy to ask for relationship advice. And some friends give relationship advice out a little too readily. Everyone experiences relationship problems at some point but it doesn't have to become a way of life. Taking the time to focus on what you want out of a relationship can vastly improve your family life, and put some real spark into your intimate relationships. The same focus and desire can work wonderfully too if you are still finding your true love or soul mates.

Take heart, it is possible to bring strength and life back into the very roots of your relationships. It could have been easy for me to blame Susan for the poor health of the houseplant but I made the choice to recognize my responsibility as well. Blame is one very common toxin to healthy relationships and inhibits your potential for self improvement.

Taking responsibility does not have to feel heavy. It does not mean that you are taking all the heat, or that it all depends on you. Responsibility can actually be quite freeing. Responsibility helps us to look at our own life first before we go blaming others for our misfortunes.

When we blame others, we lose control over our lives because we become victims of other people and events.

Blame keeps us from enjoying life and fully engaging with it. You get to choose every moment whether you want to be right, or have a right relationship.

When both parties take responsibility, you will find the freedom to create a healthy relationship that feels right for both of you. As you go through the process of choosing, you will no longer feel the need to be reactionary or to use other destructive patterns. When you consciously choose how to act, you will feel greater control in creating the kind of healthy relationships you want.

By redefining responsibility in this way, you create a healthy environment for growth. Neglect will be less of an issue because you will have put more of your self into the roots of your relationships. Take some time out today to explore some relationship books recommended here, or dig up some romance tips to spark something new with your true love, or read one of our articles about relationship help for your family life.