Just Three Words . . .

There are many things that U can do to strengthen your relationships. Often the most effective thing U can do involves saying just three words. When spoken sincerely, these statements often have the power to develop new friendships, deepen old ones & even bring healing to relationships that have sourerd. The following three-word phrases can be tools to help develop every relationship.

1. Let me help
Good friends see a need & then try to fill it. When they see a hurt they do what they can to heal it. Without being asked, they jump in & help out.

2. I understand you.
People become closer & enjoy each other more when the other person accepts & understands them. Letting your spouse know - in so many little ways - that U understand them, is one of the most powerful tools for healing your relationship. & this can apply to any relationship.

3. I respect you
Respect is another way of showing love. Respect demonstrates that another person is a true equal. If U talk to your children as if they were adults U will strengthen the bonds & become closer friends. This applies to all interpersonal relationships.

4. I miss you.
Perhaps more marriages could be saved & strengthened if couples simply & sincerely said to each other "I miss you." This powerful affirmation tells partners they are wanted, needed, desired & loved. Consider how important U would feel, if U received an unexpected phone call from your spouse in the middle of your workday, just to say "I miss you."

5. Maybe you're right.
This phrase is very effective in diffusing an argument. The implication when U say "maybe you're right" is the humility of admitting, "maybe I'm wrong". Let's face it. When U have an argument with someone, all U normally do is solidify the other person's point of view. They, or you, will not likely change their position & U run the risk of seriously damaging the relationship between you. Saying "maybe you're right" can open the door to explore the subject more. U may then have the opportunity to express your view in a way that is understandable to the other person.

6. Please forgive me
Many broken relationships could be restored & healed if people would admit their mistakes & ask for forgiveness. All of us are vulnerable to faults, foibles & failures. A man should never be ashamed to own up that he has been in the wrong, which is saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.

7. I thank you.
Gratitude is an exquisite form of courtesy. People who enjoy the companionship of good, close friends are those who don't take daily courtesies for granted. They are quick to thank their friends for their many expressions of kindness. On the other hand, people whose circle of friends is severely constricted often do not have the attitude of gratitude.

8. Count on me
A friend is one who walks in when others walk out. Loyalty is an essential ingredient for true friendship. It is the emotional glue that bonds people. Those that are rich in their relationships tend to be steady & true friends. When troubles come, a good friend is there indicating "you can count on me."

9. I'll be there
If U have ever had to call a friend in the middle of the night, to take a sick child to hospital, or when your car has broken down some miles from home, U will know how good it feels to hear the phrase "I'll be there." Being there for another person is the greatest gift we can give. When we are truly present for other people, important things happen to them & us. We are renewed in love & friendship. We are restored emotionally & spiritually. Being there is at the very core of civility.

10. Go for it
We are all unique individuals. Don't try to get your friends to conform to your ideals. Support them in pursuing their interests, no matter how far out they seem to you. God has given everyone dreams, dreams that are unique to that person only. Support & encourage your friends to follow their dreams. Tell them to "go for it."

Bonus: 11. I love you
Perhaps the most important three words that U can say. Telling someone that U truly love them satisfies a person's deepest emotional needs. The need to belong, to feel appreciated & to be wanted. Your spouse, your children, your friends & you, all need to hear those three little words: "I love you." Love is a choice. U can love even when the feeling is gone.

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