This week I received a wonderful suggestion from the Guides about how to manage challenging relationships. It was so simple, I had to laugh out loud! I call it my “Relationship Recipe Box.”
1. Collect some recipe-sized cards, lined or unlined. You will need enough so that each significant relationship in your life has its own card.
2. At the top of each card, write the name of a person with whom you find it difficult to interact or are working out some emotional issues. Don’t forget your significant other, each of your children, each of your living elders, co-workers, acquaintances from church, committees or volunteer organizations. You may even need to include those who make you feel insecure like your dentist or accountant!
3. Spend some time each day or week focusing on one of your cards, until they are all complete. Give priority to those you see the most frequently. Quiet your mind in meditation and offer affirmations or prayers that you want to grow and find peace with this person. Affirm that this relationship is a tool for your growth and ask for guidance as to how to perceive this relationship.
4. Jot down words or phrases that come to your mind. Include phrases that tell you how to behave, what energies to cultivate and whether or not you should simply exit the situation if it becomes too toxic. For example, one of my cards says, “Practice compassion for one who has a job that makes them cynical and world-weary.” Another reads, “Protect your Energy at all costs.” You may wish to attach a copy of an inspirational reading that will add to your sense of clarity when interacting with that person.
5. Plan ahead! When you are about to see one of the people on your list, use your spiritual tools! Start with a brief prayer, which may be as quick as, “Please help me!” Then review the card bearing that person’s name. Use it to establish the proper spiritual mindset, knowing it will help bring about the highest possible outcome for all involved. You may wish to keep relevant cards close by: those for your family stay at home, those for co-workers are at your desk, those for volunteer organizations are in your car or wallet.
6. Don’t give up–keep using your tools! It takes two to create a peaceful or respectful interaction. If you find an encounter does not go well, affirm that you have done your best and ask the Angels to help open the other person’s heart in the future, as well. Don’t forget to use your cards before every family gathering, every business meeting and every holiday get-together. Tools can only work for you if you pick them up and use them!
We are responsible for the quality of Energy we bring to every encounter, so take charge of what you offer to the world. When we plan ahead and use our tools consistently, we find that others around us can’t help but notice. The result: more positive interactions, more of the time!
Grace and Clarity 