A friend recently shared this picture of the two of us at her high school graduation (Aaacckk). It was a little shocking to do the math and realize how old the picture is.
It got me thinking about what the girl in the picture has learned in the years since the picture was taken.
The first two things that came to mind were: I THINK I do a better job of styling my hair and that I make better clothing choices when I go out in public, and certainly when I have my picture taken. I don’t know, my friends will have to let me know.
However, in the spirit of the theme of this blog, I’ll stay away from hairstyles and fashion and focus on 25 things I’ve learned about communication and relationships in the years since this picture was taken.
The importance of showing appreciation
The importance of providing positive feedback, especially when people are trying their best
How to say no when it needs to be said
It’s better to express my feelings than to act them out
It’s possible to be assertive without crossing the line and becoming aggressive
If you want to keep a relationship going, you’ve got to do your part
Relationships need to have “balance” to be good for those involved
How to end relationships that are no longer good for me
There’s a difference between being honest and being brutally honest
Not everyone wants to hear the truth, but sometimes you still need to share it
There’s a difference between sharing a truth someone needs to hear and sharing an unsolicited opinion or just trying to be right
Just because you share your opinion, doesn’t mean others have to act on it
Listening is a much more important skill than talking
Most people aren’t good listeners, they’re more interested in talking
When you “ask” instead of “tell” it’s amazing what you can learn
When you allow people to actually respond to what you’ve asked without interrupting or adding your “two cents” worth, you’ll learn even more
It’s better to admit when I’m wrong, than to defend or deny
It’s a good thing I’m not wrong very often (okay, just kidding)
It’s important to forgive, but it’s not always good to forget
People don’t forget anyway, they just hang onto the evidence to use at a later date
People eventually reveal their true nature, when they do, pay attention
If you ignore a person’s true nature, you shouldn’t be surprised or hurt when they act on it
Everyone needs empathy
I don’t have to like or agree with your position to empathize with you
I wish I’d learned some of these things 30 years earlier
What’s on your list?
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