Relationships – Page 2 – Personal Growth Cafe

June 3, 2019March 22, 2018

Top Five Family Stress Relief Strategies

Stress comes in all forms and from all directions, especially for families in these super busy, technologically advanced, yet tough economic times.

However, even with the technology we’ve available to us, one of the biggest causes of stress in a family is lack of communication.

The unfortunate reality is that kids communicate with seemingly everyone but their family through texting, email, Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.

Nowadays it can be tough to get through to your kids, which makes it a challenge to strengthen your family’s bond.

Getting Involved with Your Kids

One way to get more involved with your kids is to start communicating in a way that they’ll actually listen.

This may mean that you need to learn how to text, email and get on the social networks your kids are on.

The idea is to be a source of support for your child, and that means you need to be an active player in their life, even if they push you away.

Even if you get active in your child’s life online, the best way to communicate with your kids is while they’re at home.

Talk to them face to face and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

You might be surprised at how they respond.

At first it may seem awkward, but the more you do it, the easier communication becomes.

Communication with Your Spouse

If you’re lacking an open line of communication with your spouse, one reason may be that you’re not speaking each other’s love language or understanding their relating style.

This means that you need to discover what your spouse responds to the best.

Is it touch, the words you say, gifts, acts of service, or spending quality time together?

Once you know how to show love to your spouse, show it abundantly!

Also, listen to your spouse’s feelings, as this will often give you ideas about how you can fill their love tank.

If your spouse says something along the lines of “You never touch me anymore” or she wants to hold hands all the time, her love language is physical touch.

If your spouse often uses the phrase “We never spend any time together,” and likes to just sit and talk, their love language is quality time.

Spend Quality Time With Your Family

Another big stress on today’s family is not spending enough time together.

This is most likely because everyone is so busily involved in other activities that you barely have time to yourself, let alone one another.

So, how can you make time to spend with your family?

Set aside at least one day out of each week and deem it family day or game night.

Spending quality time with your family shows that you’re interested in what they’re doing and that you care about them.

Often teens think that their parents don’t care about them because they’re never home, or they feel that their parents play a passive role in their lives.

And because kids and teens often don’t spend quality time with their families, they go elsewhere to get the attention they crave.

Unfortunately, elsewhere may not be a good place for your kids to be!

Ensure you make time for your spouse.

Alone time is important for all marriages so you can continue to strengthen your relationship and explore one another’s dreams and desires for the family unit.

Make sure your family enjoys at least one meal together each day. Statistics show families that eat together, stay together.

Children do better in school and the overall atmosphere in the home is simply happier when you make eating together a priority.

The Financial Burden

Financial problems are another cause of major stress in families today.

Often, when the parents aren’t in control of their finances, their children suffer the same financial burdens later on in life.

As parents, you must teach your children financial responsibility from an early age.

Get your little ones a piggy bank to help them learn about the importance of saving money.

As they get older, include them in the budget planning and bill paying.

Help them understand the concept of financial responsibility.

Children need to know that money must be earned and that your debit or credit card isn’t magically filled with money all the time.

To recap, The Top 5 Family Stress Relievers are:

1. Communicate by speaking directly to your family.

2. Learn what love language your children and spouse speaks.

3. Spend time quality time together as a family with a family day or family game night.

4. Sit down for at least one meal a day with each other.

5. Openly discuss your finances and financial situation with your family.

Incorporating these strategies into your family life will help you have a more open relationship with each family member.

Plus, you’ll be able to relieve the stress and tension and replace it with joy, health, and happiness!

What are your favorite activities as a family?

How has this strengthened the bond that you have?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 27, 2019March 13, 2018

I allow my family to be who they are. I let go of comparing them to anyone.

I accept my family members without comparing them to others because I believe the only way they can truly develop to their full potential is by being granted the freedom to be themselves.

We all have our strengths and weaknesses; that’s why we live in families and communities.

We need each other to be productive and well rounded because no one person is enough by himself.

We are like the colors in a beautiful mosaic.

Perhaps I am more drawn to the golds or reds, but if the artist had splashed only one bright color on the canvas, where would the mastery and symmetry be?

The same holds true with people.

I let go of the idea that my spouse or child should be the social equivalent of red or gold and let them be brown, blue, or green.

They may not be as flashy as some others; they may not catch the eye as quickly or draw as much praise, but I love them for who they are.

I love my family.

I choose to focus my energy into helping them develop to their full potential so they can be fulfilled and contribute their own unique qualities to the world.

How do you value the different roles people play in society?

How are you helping your family discover and develop who they are?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 18, 2019March 13, 2018

Five Steps to Building a Strong Relationship

Have you ever invested your time and emotions to build a relationship, only to see that relationship destroyed in a matter of minutes?

When it was all over, and the dust settled, did you find yourself wondering, “What happened?”

Whether the relationship is in your business or personal life, strong relationships take time, attention, and energy to build, maintain, and nurture.

Relationships are important to everyone. As the saying goes, “No man is an island.”

We need and depend on each other.

Our relationships help define who we are and how we get along in the world.

We’re often judged by the company we keep and our relationships are part of this.

Without relationships, a business cannot exist for long.

Regardless of what type of business you have, you need good working relationships.

At the very least, you need people to do business with!

Forming healthy relationships with your customers and colleagues is an integral part of the recipe for success.

Additional types of relationships include family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, supervisors, mentors, and more.

These relationships add layers of depth to your life.

Each one can touch your life and make a difference, so you want to build and cherish these relationships as well.

Here are 5 essential keys to building healthy, profitable relationships:

1. Be Honest. People respond to honesty.

In a world where people are often faced with scams and lies, honesty is a priority.

The relationships you form with honesty as a foundation will be strong and powerful.

2. Apologize. If you’re wrong about anything or do something that offends or hurts someone, admit it.

Everyone makes mistakes; after all, we’re all human.

People respect you more if you admit your mistakes and apologize. Respect strengthens your relationships.

3. Stay in touch. Relationships require exchanges.

In our world today, we have many options to communicate and improve our relationships.

Face to face is always the best. Enjoy coffee, lunch, or just stop in for a chat.

Not only are you communicating, but you’re also fully devoting your time to them as well.

Letters and cards are a good way to stay in touch, and they remain special in this computer age full of quick text messages and impersonal emails.

Emails are also appreciated, particularly when you give it the personal touch, but nothing says, “you’re important to me” like meeting in-person or chatting on the phone.

4. Recognize accomplishments. Let people know that you notice even their small accomplishments.

Everyone likes to be noticed and recognized.

It fosters good feelings and builds on your relationship when you give someone a well-deserved compliment.

Let your co-worker know they did a great job on their presentation.

Tell your client you noticed how well they’re doing in their business.

Give your child a hug for doing a great job on anything!

5. Take a genuine interest in those you have relationships with.

Don’t just serve up generic compliments from time to time.

Ask questions.

Showing an interest and remembering small personal details lets them know that you’re thinking about them and that you’re interested in their life.

Learn from their experiences. For example, you can ask, “How did you do that?”

Ask about what they’ve been working on.

Inquire about their family, baseball team, or the new puppy.

Relationships add much to our lives.

In our personal life, they can add the richness of friends and shared memories.

In our business life, they can bring us success and recognition.

Strong, healthy relationships are the founding corners of a rewarding life.

Relationships grow over time.

While there are the rare finds where you instantly bond with someone, this is the exception rather than the rule.

Be sure to follow these tips to build and nurture profitable relationships that will stand the tests of time and challenges.

How much do you value the relationships you have now?

How do you show them that you value the relationship you have?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 5, 2019March 12, 2018

The only rock I know that stays steady, and the only institution I know that works, is the family. – Lee Iacocca

April 5, 2019March 12, 2018

Showing Appreciation to Those You Love with Something Homemade

While we’re all familiar with the phrase “It’s the thought that counts,” nothing says it more than a homemade gift from a loved one.

After all, anyone can buy something from a store.

Where the real trick comes in is actually taking the time to think up a special gift, gathering the supplies, and crafting it out of your own time, energy and talents.

Small, thoughtful gifts, while usually less flashy than diamonds, are often cherished more than the most precious of gems.

Here are 10 of the top ways to show appreciation to your loved one with something homemade:

1. Bake something.

Call up Grandma and get that delicious red velvet cake recipe you’ve wanted for so long.

Besides, what could be more romantic than fighting over who gets to lick the bowl and the spoon?

Not only will it give you a chance to catch up with Granny, but it will also show your loved ones that you care enough to take some time out of your busy schedule to whip up some fantastic eats.

2. Create a card.

Remember making cards in 5th grade?

Grab a sheet of construction paper, some Popsicle sticks, and a few of those fancy hole-punchers, and go to town.

Who knows, maybe you’ll uncover a hidden talent!

3. Cook a homemade dinner.

There are thousands of great recipes online for dinners that will wow any loved one.

Even if you aren’t a great chef and have some trouble when it comes to pots, pans, and open flames, just go with something simple.

4. Make a coupon book.

This is always a hit with your partner.

Fill the coupon book with massages, a night away from the kids, or even a week of taking care of the other person’s chores.

Make it personal, honor the coupons without complaining, and don’t put an expiration date on them.

5. Make a slide show.

Whip out your old pictures and make a slide show from “then till now.”

Set it to your favorite music and let it scroll through some of the highlights of your relationship.

If it’s for your partner, remember what it was like before kids, when the kids left the house, before grandkids or whatever stage of life you want to remember.

Just sit back in each other’s arms and let the pictures and music envelope the both of you for a while.

6. Recreate your first date.

If you went to a fancy restaurant, recreate the experience at home.

Dim the lights, put on the same music, and fix the same meal.

If you drove somewhere, pack a picnic style dinner, go back, and enjoy the experience all over again.

Whatever you did that first time, do it again and remember where you began and how far you’ve come.

7. Make chocolate covered fruit.

Pick a fruit. Dip it in chocolate. Allow it to cool. Indulge. Simple, right?

8. Make homemade jewelry.

Whether it’s a necklace made from triangle shaped pieces of wallpaper wrapped into bead shapes, or rings made from polished stones, handmade jewelry is always a hit with family and friends.

9. Make a CD.

Remember mixed tapes when you were a teenager?

Technology has advanced a bit since then, so why not create a CD that holds all the songs that have meant something to you and your friends since you’ve known each other.

It will remind you of old times and bring back memories of the past.

These are great as gentle reminders of why you love them so much.

10. Create a scavenger hunt for your partner.

Start with a trail of rose petals from the front door to a location of your choice.

From there use a post-it-note to give them a second clue.

The next one can be written on the inside of a chocolate wrapper.

Send them all over town if you must and have them meet you somewhere special.

There are thousands of things you can do to show appreciation to those you love.

The best thing to remember is to keep it from the heart.

No matter what you make, or how well you do it, your loved ones will appreciate it because it’s coming from you.

Follow some of these tips and you’ll be well on your way to coming up with your own ideas for creating cherished homemade gifts.

How do you show your loved ones that you value them?

When was the last time you did something for them?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 4, 2019March 12, 2018

Stop the Self-Sabotage – How to Love Yourself

Every day, almost everywhere we look we’re bombarded with someone else’s idea of perfection.

We’re told, “You need this,” “You should wear this” and “You need to be this way or that way,” but no one tells us that we’re just fine.

In this society of “whoever has the most toys wins,” no one really does.

A perfect example of self-sabotage is the story Madame Bovary.

It’s a story about a woman who has it all: a loving and devoted husband, wonderful children, a beautiful house, public standing and respect, and a family who loves her dearly.

When she was young, she went to a fancy ball at a count’s home.

For the rest of her life she compared everything to that one night.

Nothing she ever had was enough.

She cheated on her husband and ran them into debt to fill the hole in her life that she, herself, had created.

In the end, she ruined herself and her family all because nothing was ever good enough for her.

We do that to ourselves with negative thinking about our bodies, wanting more things, and trying to make ourselves something we aren’t.

We watch TV and movies and see perfection: the perfect romance and the dashing hero saving the damsel, where everyone is beautiful, heroic and perfect.

That’s fiction. We need to learn to accept ourselves and enjoy the good things we have in our own lives.

That’s reality and the only way to really love one’s self.

Here are a few areas where you may be comparing yourself to others.

You’ll find out how to get away from the “societal norm” so you can be on your way to loving yourself for who you are.

Your Body

Hollywood would have us think that everyone is tanned, skinny, fit and has perfect hair, teeth and skin.

But it’s all a facade! You can’t compare yourself to that imagined picture of beauty.

Your personal beauty comes from inside you.

Write down the things that you love about yourself. If you’re overweight and unhappy about it, then do something!

Change how you eat or get out and walk a little everyday. Not everyone is a supermodel, nor is everyone supposed to be.

Your Career

If you’re stuck in a job you hate, find a new one. If your work is making you physically ill, it’s time to move on.

That misery you feel will carry over to the rest of your life.

Figure out what you love doing and then find a way to get paid to do it.

It’s not easy, and it might not happen overnight, but if you love what you do, your entire life outlook improves.

Your Possessions

We’re bombarded with ads for stuff and they all look so amazing.

We find ourselves wanting more and more things, but do we really need them?

Possessions won’t fill any personal void you have or provide you with true happiness.

What is it you’re missing in your life?

Figure that out and then fill that need, but be honest and realistic with yourself about it.

Your Relationship

If you’re in a healthy relationship and you’re truly in love for several decades, then you’re very blessed.

In reality, as a relationship goes on for months and years, it may not be that whirlwind of romance anymore, and you can’t always expect your partner to be breathtaking.

Yet, no matter what you see on TV, a relationship always takes work and sacrifices.

Think of ways to make your relationship feel new and exciting, and take joy in the fact that you have someone who loves you.

Your Past

The past is just that – the past. You can’t do anything about the past, except learn from it.

You can’t base your life around a singular event no matter how great or terrible it was. All you can do is remember and learn from it.

Don’t let something that happened eat you up and destroy your future.

Instead, think about how you can become better from it, and then make the commitment to move forward.

Love Yourself

Lastly, remember that you are who you are.

Everyone is supposed to be different; it’s what makes you special.

There’s no one in the world who is exactly like you and that makes you special, unique and amazing.

Talk to the people who care about you.

They can help you see yourself the way they do. This can help you understand why they love you and why you should love yourself.

Heed these tips to find a renewed satisfaction in yourself, your loved ones, and your life. You’ll be glad you did!

How do you show yourself that you are worthy of love?

How can this help you better love others?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 14, 2019March 13, 2018

I free myself of the stress to be everything for my family. They love me for who I am.

I free myself of the need to be a super hero because I know that it is in my family’s best interest for me to teach them to be self-sufficient.

My children need to know that they are not responsible for my happiness.

Yes, they definitely add to it!

But by developing other areas in my life, I free them of the pressure of feeling that my happiness depends upon them.

My children look to me as an example of what it means to be an adult, and they need me to demonstrate the path to a fulfilling life.

By allowing them to see me as a whole person rather than a slave, I am freeing them to be equally self-fulfilled.

My example provides a model of healthy adult living from which they can draw as they branch out and discover their own interests and purposes.

By having them take some responsibility for their own well being in doing age appropriate tasks, I allow them the chance to develop both skills and confidence.

Even if I may be able to do a task more efficiently, I allow them the opportunity for the growth and personal development that comes from stretching themselves.

I recognize the difference between being reliance and being loved.

I know that my children will rely on me less and less the older they get.

This is a good thing.

I set them free to be all they can be, knowing they love me not for what I do for them, but for who I am.

How are you modeling the path to a fulfilling life for your children?

What is one task you could turn over to your children this week?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 13, 2019March 13, 2018

I have a wonderful family tree that shades me in times of change in my life.

My family surrounds me and covers me when things become difficult or scary in my life.

Like a strong oak tree with branches that offer cool shade from the glaring sun, my family shades and protects me.

Rather than being lessened by the shade, I am made stronger and revived by it.

As I grew up, I would often feel that I should be able to handle everything myself; needing my family meant that I was not able to make it on my own.

I felt ashamed if I needed to call my mother when someone broke my heart.

I felt embarrassed that I needed my father to come help me with my new home.

I felt weak when I needed to talk with my siblings about the difficulties of life.

Then I realized that my family strengthens me, not weakens me.

Today, I am grateful to lean on my mother when my heart is broken, I happily ask my father to come help me with tasks at home, and I cheerfully call my siblings to vent my daily difficulties.

I feel good about the great relationship we have and enjoy the cool protection of the shade of my family tree.

How has your family made you stronger?

How have you been protected by your family tree?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 6, 2019March 13, 2018

I trust in the love and support of my family.

I trust in the love and support of my family because I know that we are bonded far deeper and more permanently than any mere friendship.

We have a common history and heritage with intertwined memories and dreams.

Our past, present and future are linked with each other.

For these reasons, I make the relationship within my family a priority.

I acknowledge that sometimes we see less than eye-to-eye on matters, yet the fact that we are interconnected for life gives me the security to dig deep and work toward understanding and solutions.

While I sometimes wish I could pick and choose my family as I do my friends, I know that relating to my own kin develops far more depth to my character.

In the end, it’s my family who will stick by me when the going gets tough.

I invest in the valuable bonds of my family relationships by addressing conflict when it arises rather than allowing it to simmer.

I value our relationship far too highly to allow it to be corroded that way.

I also deepen our bonds when I simply spend time with them.

I don’t need an excuse to have dinner with them, go shopping together, break out the board games, or simply sit and chat.

When I am with my family, I can be myself. I treasure that and do whatever I can to build on it.

How do you show your family that they are a priority to you?

When did you last spend time with your family for no particular reason?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 3, 2019March 13, 2018

My family is a source of healing energy for me.

My family is a source of healing energy for me because I know that with them I can truly be myself.

While I always try to be my best no matter who I am with, I know that my family loves me unconditionally and that they want me to be me.

I am free from pressure when I am with my family because I know that their love for me is not dependent on my performance.

While I also have others in my life who back me up and help me out, I realize that most people who do so have at least some self-interest at heart.

This is not bad; it’s just life!

But with my family, I am confident that their love is based solely and permanently on the simple fact that we are family.

And nothing can ever change that.

I find it easy to relax with my family.

Because they know me inside and out, I am able to let go of the tendency to want to put on a show.

If I am happy or excited about something, I share it with them.

If I am sad or anxious, I share that as well.

I know my family wants to be a part of my inner life as much as I want to be a part of theirs.

I can speak the truth around them because I know that our relationship is based on authenticity and trust.

Life can be so challenging so I truly cherish my family’s support.

I love having this group of people with whom I can laugh or cry, share my deepest fears or fondest dreams, and who will always be a part of my life, no matter what.

How do you show you appreciate all that your family brings to your life?

How do you show your family that you care about their lives?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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