I admit that it takes me a long time to pick up on signals in relationships. I'm not exactly sure why that's true, but I think, in part, it's because I live in my imagination a lot. I tend to be more dreamy than practical. Yet, I want to be more mindful of relationship signals as I move along the road of life. The clearest example of this was a relationship break up I had some time ago. For years, the signals were there that a friend was not really working with my best interests in mind. In fact, the friend for personal reasons unrelated to me was often sabotaging what was right and good for me. Finally, after a hurtful incident, I woke up and realized what was happening. The friend was not out to get me, but instead mired in some troubling personal issues that led her to act that way. Yet, if I read the signals clearly, I could have either worked to better the relationship or ended the relationship earlier on which would have been better for everyone.
Anyone who enjoys a good relationship knows that part of the process is being attuned to the signals people send us via words, actions and expressions. Similarly, we send expressions to those we relate to as well, and we have to be mindful of those expressions. What we do and say matters. We can foster good relationships or we can harm those relationships, that's in our control.
With Valentine's Day around the corner, many are thinking about relationships, and today's a good day to think about how we'll strengthen those ties in positive ways. That's what I'll be thinking about today. Onward.