What Is Most Important?

We don't often ponder the question: what is most important? Psychologists point to Maslow's hierarchy of needs to answer the question. Let's assume today that our basic needs of food and shelter are met. Imagine for a minute, if you will, that the doctor just informed you that you have just one month left to live. What will you do? What will you not do? I have actually asked this question to many people. Every person, without exception, has told me that they would spend the last month of their lives with family and friends. Nobody answered: "I need to work harder". It is not suggested that work is not important; I work very hard myself. Provided our basic needs are met, work is just not more important than relationships. There are very few things more important than relationships. People may be tempted to think that money, wealth, possessions, power, fame, or other things make people happy. That is not true. Those things without relationships never provide long term happiness. In fact, people go crazy when kept in isolation for too long. We require human interaction.

If relationships are very important for human happiness we should deepen them and spend more time relating. Many people simply live together without having a deep and meaningful relationship. Needless to say, they are less fulfilled than those who value relationships as most important. In fact, even business people find more success if they take relationships seriously. Let's make our relationships count.

Wellbeing &

Relationships also have a potential downside. Bad relationships can ruin our lives. These relationships can bankrupt us, harm us, and damage the relationships we have with others. I was amazed to learn that it is only psychologically possible to have very close, intimate relationships with eight people at once. Count with how many people you have very close, intimate relationships with people to whom you can share anything and everything. Most people are lucky to have even five such relationships. With so few close and intimate relationships possible at once, and given the tremendous impact relationships have on our lives (good or bad) don't you think we need to choose these close relationships very carefully? Today's call is for the following:

What Is Most Important?

• Take your close and intimate relationships seriously;
• Invest the time and effort needed for meaningful and deep relationships into those relationships;
• Treat these relationships (and people) as the most important thing in your life;
• Examine the impact of your closest friends on your life;
• Reevaluate whether or not all of these relationships need to continue or not (remember: you only have eight slots);
• Make a decision to be more relationship oriented (things are not as important as most people think).

Now let's turn the tables; how are you impacting those who have close relationships with you? We only have one life and a few special relationships. Let's make the most of them. They are much more important to your happiness and wellbeing than you may think. And don't forget your importance to the happiness and wellbeing of your spouse and children.

What Is Most Important?

Pierre F. Steenberg, Ph.D., D.Min. is a relationship expert, a counselor, and a marriage seminar presenter. http://www.designinghearts.com

To receive your free PDF on using Genograms to analyze your relationship please visit: http://www.designinghearts.com

watches mobile phone Cuisinart Coffee Maker Super Cheap Prices Cheap Timberland Womens Premium Boots