Understanding family relationships
Family is everything. Families are supposed to be the closest of allies and our biggest sources of support and love. Our interactions with our family members are often filled with misunderstandings and resentment. We argue and harass each other. We end up treating those we know best as strangers or adversaries.
Our first and strongest memories of emotion are created in the family, and they always appear there. emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a powerful tool for achieving family harmony. Active awareness and empathy the ability to be aware of, accept, and permanently tuned in to yourself and others – tells us how to respond.
The EQ can be a powerful tool in your family, as it allows you to control the relationships that you have with siblings, parents, and in-laws. You can’t be controlled by others’ emotions, nor can you blame conflict in the family on anyone else when you are aware of your feelings. The majority of techniques to improve family relationships focus on how you communicate your feelings with those who matter most, since close relationships revolve around emotions.
Family contact is a burden without this emotional intimacy because no one wants to spend so much time with strangers. You must be honest and open with yourself if you want to help your family accept and love each other. The suggestions below will become more than just common sense advice. They’ll be highly effective ways to bring your family closer.
Ten tips to improve family relationships
- You must take care of yourself if you want to be able to care for others. Exercise is more important the busier your family schedule. Maybe you and your family could find ways to exercise together.
- Listen to get heard. In most families, the biggest complaint is a lack of communication. You may not be listening to them.
- Teach the emotional choice. You can manage your moods if you let all feelings be okay, but not all behavior. Model behaviors that encourage and respect the rights and feelings of others, but also make it clear that you have a choice over what to do.
- Teach generosity through receiving and giving. Both giving and receiving are part of a continuum of love. We can’t be generous if we’re not able to receive. And if we’re unable to receive we have little to give. Selflessness taken to the extreme is not beneficial to others.
- Be responsible for the messages you send silently. Nonverbal cues are particularly important to the very young and elderly. Our facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice convey more than just our words. To assess our emotional consistency, we must listen to the tone of our voice, look in the mirror and take pictures. Love words spoken with clenched lips don’t feel like love. They feel confused.
- Do not try to solve your loved one’s problems. Care for your family does not mean that you take charge of their issues, give them unsolicited advice or protect them from their emotions. Allow them to know their strengths and let them ask for what they require.
- Create a lasting impression with your actions. No matter what you may say, your actions will communicate your values. Do not be a nag, but rather an example.
- Admit your mistakes to all. members, even younger family members. When you apologize for hurting someone you care about, you demonstrate humility and emotional integrity. Demonstrate that everyone is capable of learning, regardless of age. You can learn to forgive yourself by apologizing.
- Find out what each person needs. You cannot assume that your grandmother will need the same love signs as your 3-year-old, or that they’ll have the same needs in the future. Ask!
- Be generous in expressing love. Every family member (especially children) can benefit from the emotional reassurance that comes with loving words, gestures and looks. The people who are least likely to demand emotional attention could be the ones that need it the most.
