Wherever we are on our life transition journey we need people who care for us in our team. I found the following exercise a helpful way to take stock of my relationships and take action to improve my support network
On a separate sheet, draw a circle in the middle of the area to represent yourself. (Me) Then create a map of your relationships – use large circles for people who are important to you and smaller circles for those who are less important. A person may be important to you, but you have infrequent contact. In this case the line between your circle and them is no longer than those people who are important and you see more frequently.
When you have mapped out your current relationship pattern. Think: Is this pattern what I want? If the relationships are fine as they are – OK!
If you would like to change your pattern of relationships use arrows on the lines to indicate whether you would like the relationship to be closer, stay the same or be more distant. Vary the length of the arrows accordingly i.e. make the relationships you want to be closer shorter and the ones you want to be more distant longer.
When you have done this, think about the most important relationships and the changes you can actually make.
What do you want from the relationship?
Is this possible to have?
How often do you see the person?
What is the quality of the time you spend together?
Are there additional ways you could communicate – email, letter, phone?
What could you do to make the relationship better
For a relationship change all parties must desire the change and put effort into making the change happen
Here's to successful friendships!
Make new friends
But keep the old
One is sliver and the other gold !
Comments