The Best Gift

The greatest gift you can bring to your relationship is a healthy you. In relationships there are two individuals not one identity. In order for the relationship to be a success, both people have to be emotionally and spiritually healthy. If one of the couple has emotional or spiritual issues that they have not dealt with it puts an enormous strain on the relationship. One can be working on improving but if they are in denial then this is trouble.

A healthy relationship begins with healthy participants. And a healthy participant begins with knowing who they are. Being able to realize all of the faults, idiosyncrasies and quirks about oneself makes it easier to understand those in ones partner but, more importantly, it helps the individual know where to look for problems if they occur in the relationship. The most important part about knowing oneself is the need to like oneself. To be able to look in the mirror and say: "I like you. I know you're not perfect but I like you anyways, just as you are."

Liking yourself is the first key to liking others, or having others like you. Nathaniel Branden said: "There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.”

So to get the most out of your relationship give your partner the best in you, you.

Dallas Munkholm
Professional Counselor & Life Coach

Co-author of Marriage Prep: Beginnings a downloadable marriage preparation course.

Co-author of Intimate Sex: Manual for Lovemaking, a sex manual for couples

Offers a free Nurturing Marriage Ezine