Relationships – 8 Tips on How to Get Along With Others

People need other people; the writer of Proverbs puts it better when he says iron sharpens iron. We need each other because God made it that way. No matter how independent you are you will definitely need relationships in one form or another. The temptation when we relate with others then is to try to exercise “fairness” in dealing with each one of them. I use fairness in quotes because our application of it in most cases is not practical because the associations you have cannot be on the same level or receive the same level of prominence and attention. There are people who you will relate with on an ad hoc basis and others will become your trusted “inner circle”. You will relate with some purely on a transactional basis and with the others you will entrust the intricate details of your life. Please allow me to share eight insights that will help evaluate how you relate with others.

1. Nurture the relationships in your life but notice the ones that are adding value and cultivate them.
2. Accord your respective relationships the attention they deserve according to their priority and purpose.
3. Eliminate toxic negative associations that have been feeding on your weaknesses and accentuating them up till now.
4. People come into your life with different motives; therefore it is imperative for you to be able to discern their hearts’ intent and celebrate the ones that are making you a better person.
5. Decide the extent to which you will relate with various ones and the level to which they access the deep details of your life. Some relationships are better left at the gate, others on the front porch yet the deepest, cherished ones access the inner chambers, the bedroom of your life.
6. Test before you entrust.The ones that pass the tribulation, trial and trust test must be treated differently from the dodgy, not so reliable ones. The immature trust easily until they get burnt and broken whilst the wise test the efficacy of every single association.
7. Be dependable, reliable and incredible before you can expect that from others. It’s easier to expect others to do things that you are not prepared to do.
8. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This love is unconditional, risky and not selfish.

The temptation to fit in and the inability to distinguish between the different levels of relationships will mean that you will spread yourself too thin trying to be everything to everyone leaving you tired drained, unappreciated and burnt out. How have you been relating with others. Are you a giver or a “getter”? There is a need for you to evaluate the worth of every relationship, accord it its proper status and you will simplify your life.