I hope to improve my relationships with family members and friends by keeping up better contact with them.  I realize I can't speak to/write/text/email etc. everyone everyday . . . but I would like to do better than I have last year.  I hope to improve my relationships with family members and friends by improving my communication skills - most especially by becoming a better listener.

I think for family and friends to improve their relationship with me I would like from them a little bit more contact also.

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Perhaps the question could be directed to the past tense . . . what have you done in the past to work at improving and safekeeping relationships with family and friends?

Hi Beloved, The topic is intersting, but as for me, I am just feeling the need to withdraw from personal questions right now. But I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you. Hopefully some others have some thoughts to share.

I wouldn't think that at all Elanorgold . 

I think mainly I have to recognize and work with my passive/aggressive personality.  When I feel hurt or ignored or stepped on, I need to speak out at the time rather accept the situation passively and then brood about it until I end up overreacting agressively when the other person has all but forgotten about it, if they even noticed it in the first place.   (I have a friend who will say something that I find hurtful or a put-down, and not even be aware of it.  She needs to be told at the time that I don't take kindly to her bossiness or her 'take charge' attitude and the way her competency sometimes makes people around her feel incompetent.   But she is a good friend and I need to work on my side of the relationship.)

Thanks for sharing, seeler.  I understand what you mean about the situation of not saying anything at the time, but continuing to brood after it has occurred (I think we must be related somehow LOL).

I guess the only person we can change in any relationship is ourselves - so that's where we must do the work we must do.