Qualities of Successful and Lasting Relationships

648 Words2 Pages

Have you ever been in a hopeless relationship? Numerous people have been in this situation due to the fact that they haven't set criteria for what they want in a successful relationship. It doesn't matter whether it is friendly, familial, or romantic. To be considered a satisfying, or healthy connection, you need to set up some guidelines for what you feel is important. I personally feel the key characteristics that keep a lasting and meaningful friendship or family relationship together are honesty, basic communication skills, and trustworthiness.

First, I would like to expound upon honesty. Honesty is that fundamental building block which is required to develop an enduring tie between people. When you don't have honesty, you have trouble! I remember in kindergarten I had a friend who wasn't honest. She got me in trouble with teachers quite a few times. One specific incident stands out. She had lost a ball in the lunchroom and made me talk to the teacher who found it. Of course, the teacher assumed I was the careless person and I was the one who was punished. My "friend" didn't confess that it was her ball or come to my rescue. Therefore, I gave up trying to be friends with her. She obviously didn't value honesty like I did and I soon tired of her fabrications. So, you need to be sure that your friends are honest people, or at least honest most of the time (Who hasn't told a little "white lie" to save hurt feelings?). Being honest turns you into a more desirable friend to have. Thus, people who value this trait tend to be the type of people that you would also want as lifelong friends.

Although honesty is important, basic communication is even more crucial to maintaining a lasting connection. In today's society,...

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... that she has your best interest in mind. This creates safety, security, and a deeper capacity to love. Successful marriages are built on trust."

Though I think the most important quality of a good connection is trust, basic communication and honesty also rank high. My grandpa, my personal experiences, and research studies I've read about have shown me how to build a lasting relationship even when it's difficult. Thus, we have come full circle, and when you have these three basic ingredients, you have a recipe for building a successful, long lasting relationship of any kind.

*Names have been changed

Works Cited

Townsend, John. "Building Trust." Focus on the Family Apr. 2008: n. pag. Web. 22 May 2014. .

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