Improve Relationships One Day at a Time

This is a guaranteed formula that will help you improve all of your relationships! It sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Well, it’s something that will take effort and attention, but if you follow the formula honestly, you will indeed find your relationships improving. It’s based on the Ethical Principles used by Reiki Practitioners. Applying these principles towards your relationships will benefit you and the people you are involved with considerably.

Reiki is a form of natural healing that is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. You can find Reiki courses through Master/Teachers, including myself. Colleges and continuing education facilities are also offering classes to teach you how to use Reiki for yourself and as a practitioner working with others. This article is about a part of Reiki that you don’t need any type of formal training for.

The Ethical Principles of Reiki were created as a secret of inviting happiness through many blessings:
For today only, anger not, worry not.
Be grateful and humble.
Do your work with appreciation.
Be kind to all beings.

The most important thing to remember about these principles is “For Today Only”. It’s much easier to focus on new habits or goals if you put your efforts in small segments. Remembering to use these principles one day at a time will make it easier for you to focus on them too. You might want to create some signs you can put in strategic places around your home or office to as a reminder for yourself.

Anger not, worry not is probably the most misunderstood principle. It’s natural and healthy to feel anger, and to worry from time to time. The principle pertains to how you react to that anger and worry. Learn the lessons you need to learn from feeling anger or worry then let it go might be a better way to present the principle.

Let’s discuss anger first. Becoming angry is a signal that something is not going the way you expected or wanted it to. It’s also a “cover up” emotion for fear and hurt. If you notice yourself feeling angry, accept that feeling lovingly. Get to the bottom of why you are feeling that way. You can then decide how to react to the anger or worry in a way that is healthy and positive. Make it a point to always reflect on your feelings before you share them with others; this helps them from coming out in a negative or destructive way.

When it comes to relationships, people involved with you will be grateful that you handled your anger in a peaceful way with them without lashing out or becoming destructive. They will be more open to helping you overcome your anger and your relationship will be improved.

Worry is an insidious habit that keeps our stress levels rocketing. Did you know that most worry is based on the past or the future? Simply drawing your attention back to the immediate present will alleviate most of your worry. If the worry is about something that is happening right this minute, find out what you can do to help that situation, or if its something that you need to accept as being out of your control. Refusing to become attached to needless worries will help your relationships by allowing you to offer a more stress free, calmer person to be in relationship with. You’ll be able to sleep better at night too!

The next principle, be grateful and humble is pretty self-explanatory. The question is how does that benefit your relationships? Having gratitude for the people in your life helps you to feel more love for them and not take them for granted. Being humble does not mean to be a doormat. It means to keep from becoming arrogant or expecting that the people in your life should cater to you without your reciprocated efforts. When a relationship is difficult, the hardest thing to do is to create a list of what you are grateful for within that relationship, which is exactly when it serves you best to make sure and do it.

In regard to improving relationships, the principle of doing your work with appreciation will pertain to the work you do to maintain your relationships. Sometimes working to keep a smooth and beneficial relationship with other people can be a true effort. Approach that work with honesty and appreciation, just for today.

To be deeply honest, if there is no appreciation in the tasks you have accepted within that relationship, you need to let it go, or work on redefining the relationship. For an example of doing your work with appreciation, when dealing with a difficult boss or coworker, look for appreciation coming from how you feel about being able to have the job you have. Let that appreciation show with your relationship with the difficult boss or coworker.

If you can’t find anything at all to be appreciative about the relationship and the efforts you are making to succeed in the relationship, then move on from it. You are not being beneficial to your own life or the other person if there is nothing good to be found in your involvement with them. If it’s a child or parent you are dealing with, you might not want to completely move on, you may just need to create some space for awhile and come back to it, or consider counseling to heal the problems that are causing you to be stuck in negative thoughts and feelings about your relationship with them.

The last principle, be kind to all beings is another self-explanatory principle. But how many of us forget to shower those closest to us with unconditional kindness? This is by far the most beneficial relationship improving technique ever. Even if you are very angry or upset by another person’s behavior towards you, you can still use manners and communicate in a calm non-threatening, non-blaming way.

I hope you take time to experiment with these principles to see how they can be of benefit in your own life. If you would like to discuss any of the topics mentioned more in-depth, or would like to share how these principles work for you, please email me.

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