Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category

3 Universal Principles for Developing Good Relationships

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Clearly, good relationships are essential to living a full and happy life. Not only are they a component of that kind of life, they are in fact top priority. This is where good relationship skills come in handy.

Here are 3 universal principles on how to develop good relationships with everyone in your life:

Be quick to listen and slow to speak – in other words, be willing to listen, and listen well! Listening well to another person speak is the ultimate form of flattery and respect, because you show them they are important enough to pay attention to and spend some time with.

Listening well involves focusing on what the other person has to say, getting inside his or her head, and understanding things from their point of view. Being a good listener is not about thinking of what to say while the person is talking or interrupting in the middle of their sentences. That can come later.
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Better Relationships: Seeing Coercion For What It Is

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

coercion

William Glasser’s book ‘Choice Theory’ offers a new way of looking at relationships.

His basic insight is that we are free to change ourselves but cannot change anyone else. Even a man with a gun to his head cannot be forced to act against his will.

Because we are free (although perhaps not completely so) to make choices about our own thoughts and actions, it must be true that everyone else has this freedom too, and so we cannot interfere with it.

Because we are free (although perhaps not completely so) to make choices about our own thoughts and actions, it must be true that everyone else has this freedom too, and so we cannot interfere with it. Read the rest of this entry »