Admit It. You Are Guilty Of This

Are you guilty of being complacent about your relationships?

Are you guilty of taking for granted someone close to you?

We’re all guilty of this.

If you deny it, I just won’t believe you!

With all that that is going on in our lives, it is all too easy to take many things for granted – our routine, opportunities that come our way, people who are always around to support us. This could be at work, could be our friends or those in our family. Considering the time we’ve invested in building that trust and connection with others, imagine damaging it just because we slacked off and didn’t do what we had to do to maintain it!

Of late, I’ve seen that happening quite a lot. The good intentions are always there, but action takes its own sweet time.

I have a very good friend. We used to phone each other frequently and met up whenever we could. These days, we’re both so busy with our lives that we don’t get around to connecting. Luckily, we’re so fond of each other that not once have we kept score over who called whom and always open our hearts when we talk.

But it has got me thinking.

Am I taking for granted the people I treasure?

As we get embroiled in our lives, we often do not notice the support we constantly receive from those who mean so much to us. What about the times they need our support? Are we tuned to noticing it?

The cozy relationships we enjoy can sometimes make us so complacent that in the process of sharing ourselves with the ones close to us, we don’t realize we’re dumping on them. We take them for granted. We assume they are always ready to listen to us.

When we do this, we unknowingly stop giving them the attention they deserve. So maybe we can win them over again. But it is tough to keep relationships fun and lively, eh?

The truth is, we all evolve as people over the passage of time, and so do our relationships. Some become stronger, some drift apart. When we think that we could have sustained it, and didn’t, the regret and guilt set in.

Are we tuned to the changes that are inevitable, and are we ready to restore the attention we originally paid to the people who matter to us?

We should, considering that these are the people who’ve pledged their support to us and we certainly shouldn’t be taking them for granted.

To keep relationships healthy, it is a good thing to ask ourselves periodically whether we are taking the ones we hold close for granted.

So here is what I am doing.

Taking a relationship inventory.

• I am picking one person in my life – someone who is very important to me.
• I am thinking about what I like about them the most – what do I value about them?
• I am reflecting – have you taken them for granted? Why?
• If this person expects my support, am I aware of it?

And now, I am letting them know that they are on my priority list.

I don’t want to be guilty of taking for granted the people who give me the most. ♥