Our behavior is a small thing that makes a big difference in our relationships.
This morning I saw a middle-aged woman ferociously slam the car door in her husband’s face and storm off into a department store. Then, an hour later, I couldn’t help but notice two 20-something friends sitting next to me at a local coffee shop, the man staring down at his iPhone the entire time his friend shared with him her concerns about her sister’s drug addiction. And just now I came across someone’s rant on Facebook about their significant other that concluded with, “ALL MEN are exactly the same!”
Most of us have likely done something similar in our relationships at some point, because relationships aren’t easy, and sometimes we make missteps. In fact, let’s be honest – we’ve all acted in toxic, damaging ways at one time or another. None of us are immune to occasional toxic mood swings. But that doesn’t excuse what we do to each other.
With practice, we CAN do better. [Read more…]