Everyone says that a healthy relationship requires give and take.
But what happens when you're the only one who gives and your friends are the ones that take?
After a recent trip with friends, I really started thinking about the nature of my own relationships.
I realized that most of the time, I pour 100% into every person in my life, and while 99% of the people around me reciprocate this investment, there are a few people who don't.
In fact, some of the very people I'd do anything for are the ones who take our relationship for granted the most.
I'm sure we can all think of a few people in our lives like that.
The real question is...what do we do about it?
Do we: a) Continue to try until they finally start reciprocating?
b) Cut them out of our lives for good?
B is obviously the easiest option, but a lot of the time, the people we allow to continually "take" are some of the people we love most.
This means...they're usually the hardest to let go.
Since no one deserves to be treated this way, this week, we decided to compile our top 3 tips for dealing with one-sided relationships:
1. Communicate
Believe it or not, the person in question may not realize that you're not getting what you need out of the relationship. Since everyone's standards and expectations are different, unless you tell them how you feel, they may really be in the dark about how their actions are hurting you.
2. Suggest Actionable Improvement Techniques
When you address a problem, you should always have a solution prepared. We recommend writing down, then communicating a clear list of things you want to get out of the relationship.
Whether that's more quality time, better communication, or better listening and understanding...it may be helpful to define actionable changes you'd like to see in the relationship. Not only does this create clear items for the person in your life to work on, but it also creates a measure for you to assess their progress.
3. Create an exit strategy, if necessary
This may sound callous -- but like Marie Kondo, we're all about removing the things that don't spark joy. Unless you see that the person in your life is actively making moves to salvage the relationship, it may be time to seriously consider removing them from your space.
Remember: You can't move forward if you stay stuck in relationships that hold you back.
The only person responsible for protecting your peace, energy, and emotional well-being is you. So, if someone is taking that away, never be afraid to release them.
Cheers,
The Champagne Sisters