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It's reflection O'clock about my personal relationships with my friends, family and my partner, the most valuable lessons I have learned from them, and how it impacts our relationships.

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So far, it's been a journey of learning and relearning from people around me. No man is an island; we live and relate with our family and friends; we engage in romantic relationships, mingling with others, making mistakes, and learning from our mistakes; learning values too that can shape our lives for good. I wouldn't say that I had the perfect relationships so far, but in all, there have been lessons from my relationships impacting my life in a way I never envisioned, although for good, and in this post, I will share a bit of it.

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Have you imagined a farmer who cultivated some farm products on a piece of land, went back to sleep, and went on with other of his life activities? Then return After a few months, expecting a bountiful harvest? You can imagine what will be the result of his planting; obviously, the crops wouldn't do well because there was no atom of nurturing. 🪴. This is to tell you that relationships are like plants. They need adequate care and nourishment to grow well. Plants need sunlight, manure, good soil, water, weeding, etc.; otherwise, they could wither or be damaged. 
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The same thing is applicable to our relationships when we live it without nurturing it. Just like plants need a variety of things to grow well, relationships need mixed emotions to thrive. Overall, I have learned that it's not enough to establish a relationship but to make proper effort in nurturing it.


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In friendship, the most valuable lesson I have learned is the importance of empathy. Several times, friends I have, have shown me the practical meaning of empathy, and unconsciously I got influenced by these actions from some of my friends, and of course I learned how valuable empathy is, in nurturing a long-lasting relationship. Imagine putting yourself in the situation of another mentally; you will truly understand what that person is going through, and it becomes easier for you to step in and assist in any way. It's not enough to say that I have friends without any concerns when that friend needs me... empathy does this, and I am glad it's now part of my lifestyle in my relationships with people.
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In my relationship with my partner, I learned that open dialogue can resolve misunderstandings as quickly as possible. Gone are the days when I harbored things in my mind, and it kept birthing further negativities. However, since I began implementing open discussions whenever issues arise, you see us expressing ourselves better, voicing our anger, and whatever, and fixing our differences becomes easier.
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Finally, on family relationships, I learned the importance of setting healthy boundaries. The fact that this lady or young man is my sibling is not a guarantee for me to step into his private life or his own smaller family with his wife or husband and be telling him what to do. There's a need for boundaries and respect; otherwise, you could even create resentment, and family issues will arise.

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Overall, these lessons and more, which I couldn't pen down in this post, have been like a manual to me, helping me to build a healthy relationship with friends and family.

## Images are mine 


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