Strategies for Harmonious Relationships
Here are some simple and powerful, but difficult to follow strategies for establishing and maintaining harmonious relationships. Don't let their simplicity fool you. Even if only one partner in a relationship can follow these rules, any relationship will improve dramatically. That's guaranteed!
Good manners: Behave as pleasantly and positively with one another in private as you would in important public company. Ninety percent of relationship problems will disappear if you follow this rule without exception. Affection grows in an atmosphere of cheerfulness.
Be positive: Focus exclusively on your partner’s good traits and good deeds. If you cannot appreciate all your partner is or does, at least avoid criticizing, correcting or trying to make your partner better, not matter how justified you think you are. You will find your partner does get better when you stop trying to change them.
Understand Listen and appreciate your partner's other person’s point of view, rather than trying to convey your own and convince your partner you are right.
Equanimity: Learn to disagree quietly, politely and maturely without reactions, anger, quarrels or shouting. The capacity not to react to your partner, either in words or feelings, has tremendous power to improve the relationship.
Cherish Differences:Harmony – The true basis for romance is complementarity, rather than similarity, which quickly becomes boring. Try to appreciate the value of your partner's differing characteristics, preferences and views rather than wishing you were both the same.
Trust & Truthfulness: – Trust and trustworthiness are the basis for lasting relationship. Suspicion, distrust, deceit and falsehood can spoil the best of relationships.
Goodwill: Strive always and exclusively for your partner's success and happiness. Eliminate all forms of anger, meanness and resentment.
Self-giving: Think, feel and act for your partner’s happiness rather than your own. Self-forgetfulness is the secret of self-fulfillment.
Aspire: Demand more from yourself. Ask and expect less from your partner. Only what is given to you unasked for is really valuable.
Patience: Be willing to wait indefinitely for your partner to grow. Be impatient to improve yourself at every moment.
Practice: Follow these rules and your relationship will dramatically improve. More importantly, don't ask or expect your partner to follow them.
