Make Your Friend Feel Better Via Text Message

You've taken the plunge and made the biggest commitment of your life. But statistics show that in the US, almost half of all marriages end in divorce, and one of the leading causes is marital infidelity. Whether you're married or a partner in a committed relationship, being faithful isn't always easy - but if you commit to being a faithful spouse or partner, you can do it.

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1. Ask the other person what's wrong, just as you would do in person. When a friend goes to the effort to clarify that something's wrong in their text message, usually it means they want to talk. As such, showing concern lets your friend know that you care and that you're willing to engage in a morale boosting text session. That's always a start to cheering someone up.

2. Let your friend explain the dilemma, and be a good listener. Even with phone screens separating you, there are still ways to show that you're genuinely "listening" and receptive. While your friend tells the story, you can text little comments like, 'That's awful', or, 'I'm so sorry about that'. However, overdoing it can have the exact opposite effect, so make sure your words sound (and truly are) genuine. Space them out so that you're not crowding the text conversation.

3. Say the things that you know will be most comforting. All friends have slightly different reactions to words of commiseration or support, so make sure to phrase your responses with the particular person's known reactions in mind. Definitely avoid saying anything that smacks of "I warned you" or "I told you so". 

4. Give your friend some suggested advice about the problem. Friends help each other out, and so, your willingness to aid will show your friend that you do care and want to help try and make things better. The great thing about text is that any advice given needs to be short and to-the-point, usually the best kind of advice! 

5. Try to help your friend to look on the bright side. Taking a friend's mind off the negatives is helpful to making him or her feel better. You might like to do this with a short and obviously funny joke, a quick anecdote about something amusing, or even a funny photo or video you have to share. You might even make your own funny face, photograph it, and send that to cheer up your friend!

 

6. Use emoticons. Many phones come with emoticon menus that let you pick the one that is most appropriate for the moment. Generally, the standard emoticons are 'happy', 'very happy', 'angry', 'sad', 'excited', 'laughing', etc. If your phone doesn't have emoticons, you can use smilies. The standard smile is ':)', but, like emoticons, smilies cover a broad range of emotions. Using them in text messages is cute, fun, and helps to better convey your feelings, which can sometimes be difficult in a texting medium.

7. Use symbols like '<3'. This particular symbol depicts a sideways heart and all heart symbols are cute, clever, and very useful in showing your affection and support. Another good one is 'XOXO'. And don't forget the value of simply saying "hugs". That can convey more than many other words could ever do.

8. Know when to end the texting. If your friend seems incredibly upset, end the texting. Either arrange to catch up face-to-face with your friend as soon as possible or suggest that you talk on the phone rather than text. Alternatively, you may sense that your friend is getting distracted and wants some time out from thinking about their problems, and this could be a good time to stop texting. And if all you get back from your friend are lots of smiles and hugs, you've done your job of cheering them up and you can tell them you'll catch them later.

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Best Short Poems About Love and Friendship

 

You Will Be In My Thoughts

Should you ever feel alone
If finding times hard to bare
You can still count on me
Know I shall always be there

You shall be in my thoughts
If you are hurting, I feel it too
It is my friendship sincerity
I shall forever share with you

There each step of the way
My support you can depend
I will listen if you need me
With love your forever friend

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The Reason I Love You

The Smell of your hair
The taste of your kiss
These are the things
That I will always miss

The sound of your voice
The feel of your hand
They affect me in ways
You could never understand

The love in your heart
The peace in your eyes
They make me feel
Like I want to cry

You are a gift
That God gave to me
And I can just feel
That we are meant to be

I'll love you forever
I hope you do too
For it's only a short while
Before we say "I do"

I miss you my friend
I miss you more than words can say,
I think of you each single day,
I love you like my sister and friend,
I'll always love you til the end,

The more i think, the more i weep,
at least i have memories to keep,
I know we'll meet again soon enough,
but i can't wait cos this is tough,

every time i see a pretty flower,
i think of you then my eyes shower,
every time i take out my photo pile,
i look at you and me and i smile,

all the memories i hold in my heart,
no need to miss you, we're not apart.

Picture in a Frame

Your pictures are in frames, memories on my wall,
To have you here again, I would give them all.
A picture cannot capture, the beauty of your skin,
Or the radiating glow I'd feel, whenever you would grin.
They cannot talk or sing to me, the way you used to do,
I'll never love another, the way that I love you.


So I look at you my soul mate, a picture in a frame,
I cry my tears of sorrow, cause I feel God's to blame.
He came and took the one, who made my life complete,
And all that's left are pictures, and an empty seat.
I also have a feeling down, deep within my heart,
It's the pain of loneliness, since we've been apart.


I try not to let the grief, just overcome my day,
I'll blow a kiss to heaven and send it when I pray.
I'll ask God to free me now, from a world so blue,
To take me up to Paradise, so I can fly with you.
I'm waiting for the day you come, calling out my name,
Until then I'll be staring at, your picture in a frame.

A Poem's Kiss

A Poem's kiss
Flows from my pen
To your heart
Lingering, longing
As a silent embrace
Though we're apart

Our words touch
As lips, softly searching
Verses thrill the soul
Separation of One
In lonely sky blue
Until we are whole

Sorrows in stanzas
Writ with abundance
As tears frozen in time
Deep and lonely
'Til ocean is river
And you become mine

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Create A Small Gift To Cheer Someone Who Is Sad or Lonely

This gift is perfect to lift someone's spirits who is feeling lonely, forgotten or blue or even not feeling well. Anyone who is able to wrap a present will be able to make this remembrance to help cheer up a friend, acquaintance or loved one. The recipient will be grateful for your sentiments. In addition, you most likely will most not have to purchase any supplies.

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1. This remembrance is not about the wrapped gift but rather about the sentiments expressed in the poem that is attached to the package, so you may use an empty container if you wish. Otherwise you may wrap a small remembrance, such as the picture frame mentioned above.

2. Whatever form you decide upon, wrap it in paper to suit the occasion, such as something cheery with flowers for a sick person. Tie ribbon and a bow around the package to match the wrapping paper. We also added tulle cut and tied into a bow for extra decoration.

3. On a piece of white or colored paper, either print on the computer or hand print the poem.

Just for You

"This is a special gift,

That you cannot see,

The reason that it's special,

Is it's just for you from me!

So, whenever you are lonely,

Or even feeling blue,

You only have to hold this

To know I think of you!

You can never unwrap this,

Please leave the ribbons tied,

Just hold it to your heart,

It's filled with love inside."

4. Punch a hole in the upper corner and attach the poem to the ribbon with ether a twist tie or another piece of ribbon. If you used white paper, you may back the poem with a colored piece of construction paper. Use your imagination and embellish the gift in other ways, such as with stickers or a small silk flower. Since the poem mentions never opening the present, you can definitely use an empty form receptical if you choose.

source : www.ehow.com

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10 Ways to Cheer Up Your Sad Friends

 

Everyone goes through down times occasionally. Sometimes our friends can go through sad spells and these are the times we need to be friends the most. How do you cheer up a sad friend? Here are some tips!

Tips :

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1. Send them a care package filled with candy, scented candles, brownie mix, magazines, and delicious tea bags. Don't forget to include a little love note.

2. Be available for your friend at all times. It's very important to let them know you are there for them. Make sure they are aware of the fact that they can get a hold of you at any time, night or day

3. Have patience. Sometimes it takes people awhile to get out of their sad moods. Everyone is different. Learn to understand and throw out impatience.

 

4. Pay them a genuine compliment. Remember that the more detailed the praise the better, for example:  "I love how your bangs frame your face." or  "You have a contagious laugh."

 

5. Call them often. Don't bombard them with phone calls if they do not want to talk, but at least call once a day just to check up and let them know you care. The same goes for email.

6. Give them a mixed CD filled with upbeat music or songs that you have listened to together and have a special meaning. Most computers these days will even let you record personal greetings at the beginning of each track. 

7. Offer hugs. Sometimes a person just needs you to be there and a hug is the most generous of offers.

8. Tell them how much you appreciate them. This small gesture can really make someone's day

 

9. Reminisce about your friendship, how you met, and the fun times you've had together. And then make more fun plans for the future.

 

10. Involve other friends. The more friends you involve, the more likely the person will come out of their mood.

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9 Steps for Get Your Friends to Trust You

These steps will show you how to have your friends trust you from the very beginning of a friendship. Developing the bonds of trust early in a friendship can be fast or gradual depending on the experiences each of you bring to the friendship. It is definitely worth putting in the effort to create this trust, whatever your prior experiences, and you'll find that you gain an enduring friendship in which each of you can rely upon one another to the ends of the Earth.

1. Be trusting yourself. Before you can expect your friends to trust you, you need to show them that you are trustworthy and that you trust in them. Trust is a risk but when it comes to friendship, you're more likely to make and keep a friend by trusting them than by being a cynic and staying wary all the time. Ways for your friend to establish that you are trustworthy include:

• Don't renege on promises and appointments when you make them. Provide clear explanations or apologies if something genuine does go wrong to prevent you from coming through with your promise.
• Show emotion. Showing emotions to a friend is an important and easy way to show them you really care. Being open can result in two things: Either you get hurt because you left yourself open or you are given secrets when friends confide in you. However, it's better to reveal your emotions than to bury them so deep that your friend finds you shallow. Give it a chance.

2. Be kind. Kindness is a large part of developing and maintaining trust because in trusting your friends, you are giving them the gift of compassion and support. It is a great kindness to be able to readily show faith in another person and support them even when they don't feel that same level of faith in themselves. It is kindness that cements the growth of trust.

3. Ask questions. If you ask a lot of questions if a new friend from the very beginning, they will see it as a sign that you are interested in them and their life. This will indicate to them that you're not someone who only thinks about themselves and your friend will begin to confide in you with their deeper feelings and even their innermost secrets.

4. Be humble. Being humble is hard at times but if you master it, then your friends will not be afraid of you judging them. Being humble is the best approach to reassuring a new friend that you aren't arrogant or condescending. A humble person earns trust because humility is about placing the other person first. In acknowledging that you make mistakes and that you're not all-knowing, your new friends can see that you're an easy person to like and eventually, to trust.

 

5. Don't tease your new friends. While you may consider it just horseplay or funny, they may see it as demeaning and lacking in respect for them. A person you don't know at the start is a person who will eventually want to confide in you. Teasing or making fun of them is not a good idea because a person who constantly makes fun of people is a person who can't really be trusted and may be insecure enough to be condescending toward the friend out of their earshot. If you tease a friend from the start, when that friend is ready to confide in you with something serious, they will pass.

6. Avoid being demanding. Friendship is about give and take, not about dumping all of your problems on your friend. Trust can be difficult to establish when one friend demands too much time, comfort, support, or reassurance from the other friend. This can cause your friend to feel hassled out and to be wary of what you're going to dump on them next.

• Give your friends space. Clingy and needy friends are suffocating and suggestive of a lack of belief in the friendship enduring breaks. Giving each other space is a sign that you trust your friend to still be your friend without having to be breathing down each other's necks constantly. You know your friend will be there when needed, and your friend knows that too.
• Another reason to avoid being demanding and/or clingy is to lessen the element of fear or worry driving the relationship. A person is less likely to trust if they feel that there is a risk that the needy or clingy person might transfer their loyalty to someone who seems more supportive at the time, and impart confidential information just to win over a new friend.

7. Be non-judgmental. Judging your new friend won't help them to trust you. Initially they may find your "advice" helpful but after a while, when your friends realize that you always think you know what's best for them more than they do, they'll be afraid to come to you with any confidences. Instead, treat your friends fairly, with respect, and with dignity. Listen to their confidences in a supportive and non-judging way and given them your unconditional support.

8. Share with your friends. Being nice is something easy we can all do. Sharing your things, your time, and your dreams with a new friend is an excellent way for them to grow to trust you. Your new friend will think about the whole of your goodness every now and then. You can share candy, money, clothes, your time, your skills, and even your holiday home. It's really up to you.

9. Talk on the phone. Talking on the phone is an excellent way of getting your friend to open up and share new ideas and thoughts with you. The trick is to ask questions, to use your voice to suggest your emotions, and to try to be serious with them. All of these combined will allow your new friend to reveal things they are feeling at the moment. Eventually they'll confide in you and trust that you actually care about them.

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10 Tips for Save a Friendship

"Friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you know they are there." Once said by someone wise, this quote sums up how easy it is to take a friendship for granted, and yet, just as stars fade away, so do friendships from time to time. Whether it's because your circumstances have changed, time has passed and eroded commonalities, or something has been said or done that has spoiled things between you, it's sad and often painful to experience a fading or dying friendship.

If you believe that it's worth trying to save your friendship, then it is worth it. The only time it's not worth trying is when you've stopped believing in the friendship. So, if you're still stirred by a friendship that has given you priceless moments, unconditional love, and treasured memories, at least give saving the friendship a chance. While problems are inevitable, if both of you see the value in saving the friendship, focusing on fixing things may just be effective, and your friendship may even come through this trial better and stronger than before.

Steps :

1. Act now. The moment you're aware that there's a chasm opening wider than the Grand Canyon between the two of you, do something about it. Waiting will only bring about an inevitable permanency of the loss of your friendship. Be prepared to be the one who makes the initial steps; your friend may be laboring under the belief that it's something you've done to harm the friendship, so it's not worth waiting around for her to solve things.

2. Do some honest analysis of the situation. Sit down and think back to where it all went wrong. Was it your fault? Was it something you said or did or didn't say or do although you should have? This involves thinking about your inaction as well, such as all those times you failed to make a call to see how your friend was, or when you missed appointments, or failed to show up at important events.

3. If it was your fault, apologize. Briefly explain your side of the story and avoid making excuses or shifting the blame. By taking responsibility for your part in damaging the friendship, you demonstrate to your friend that your desire to keep them as a friend is more important than your pride or sense of self-righteousness.

4. Talk, talk, talk. If you can't seem to find the reason for the growing interpersonal distance between you and your friend, suggest that the two of you simply talk. Tell your friend that you're sad that things don't seem to be that great between the two of you anymore and that you'd really like to work out whether it might be possible to restore the friendship you had in the past. Your willingness to work through the issues will be appreciated, especially if you make it clear that you're totally open to hearing their side of the story. Try not to interrupt your friend while explaining their side of the story. Instead, listen attentively.

5. Listen to your friend. If a third party has been telling different stories to both of you to cause conflicts, listening to your friend is the best way to spot it. Ask who told them that if you hear that you said something you'd never say in a million years. It's amazing how fast a third party liar's mind games blow up in their face once the victims compare notes. So even if someone is trying to avoid you, ask why and be prepared to listen no matter what your friend says.

6. Make a decision as to the worth of disputing points about your behavior or issues that have arisen in the friendship. If your friend has the wrong end of the stick and has misunderstood things that you've said or done (or not done), then by all means clarify what you believe to be the case. However, do not be argumentative or confrontational, as this will cause your friend to feel defensive and it will simply speed up the end of the friendship. Be patient, explain clearly how you see the situation and give your interpretation of past events without judging or defensiveness. For example: Your friend might accuse you of never being there during important events in the opening of their new business over the past year. They might say that it got to the point that every time he or she asked you to help out, you seemed too busy or disinterested in their new venture even though at first you had been very supportive. You might reply that you accept it was wrong of you to never be available to talk things through. You might also outline what happened to prevent you from being the close friend of former times. For example, perhaps you had to take care of a sick child or spouse, all the while trying to hold down your job with its unforgiving deadlines. Provide factual explanations of why you weren't as engaged with your friendship as you could have been rather than offering excuses - the truth is important. And don't seek sympathy or pity but do clarify why you were not able to be there for your friend.

7. Acknowledge your differences. Your friend might be footloose and fancy free while you're a dad to three kids. As life changes around us, friendships change too. However, this doesn't mean that you lack that vital connection that sparked the friendship in the first place and shifts in your working, personal, and lifestyle doesn't have to undermine your friendship. Talking openly about the changes is important, as well as accepting that the two of you have different trajectories but still have space, love, and respect for one another in your lives.

• If your friend has distanced from you because of changes in your lives, take the opportunity to reassure each other that while life has changed, the importance of your friendship has not. And acknowledge that if you have changed, you certainly don't expect your friend to change.
• Resurrect some things that the two of you can still enjoy doing together. For example, set aside a regular night, afternoon, or day when the two of you meet up to spend time together doing the things you both enjoy such as seeing a movie, sitting in a cafe, playing a sport, etc.

8. Avoid being naive. While you may want to rescue the friendship, be alert for signs that your friend is deliberately seeking to end it. Given that this is an unthinkable prospect in a previously loving, and caring connection, only resort to believing this is a possibility if the signs make it extremely obvious, for example, if your friend goes out of their way to avoid you, or stops answering your calls, or can never be found by you but mutual friends don't seem to have this problem, it's possible that your friend is trying to end things. If this is the case, try to revive things but don't beat yourself up if it fails because it's not your fault and the other person has a made a choice that you can't change.

9. Find a compromise. Assuming your friend has talked and listened, and both of you have cleared the air, look for ways that you can reach compromises on the things that have undermined your friendship to this point and look for ways to set the relationship back on track. If you mean as much to this person as they means to you, through mutual compromising in the end you will have at least made some progress in the right direction.

10. Show willingness to strengthen your friendship and to avoid growing apart ever again. Once you have worked through the challenges facing your friendship and come to a shared solution, show your friend how much they mean to you. Start creating new memories and precious moments that will make the unpleasant page in your common history look insignificant and never worth mentioning again.

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How to Keep a Friend for Life

Keeping a friend by your side for life is what every girl is hoping. Follow these steps and maybe that could happen!

Steps :

1. Be nice to your friend. 

• No person wants their feelings hurt. It also would be rude not to be nice anyway.

2.  When she/he is at your house, make them feel comfortable..

3. Tell her often that, 'You're my best friend!' or 'I'm glad to have you as my friend'. It will make her feel like a good person.

 

Tips :

• Invite your friend to your house often, it will make her feel like, that you like her as a friend.
• Don't get caught up spending too much time with a boyfriend, it will make your friend feel left out. Also a friend is much more important than a boyfriend.

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Choose Between Two Best Friends

 

Do you have a problem with two friends? Sometimes, jealousy can cause difficulties in friendships, so if you have to choose between best friends, here are some things to consider. 

Steps :

1.

Look at common interests you have with each friend. This will help determine which you may want to develop more loyalty to.

2. Think about how close you are to each. If one is farther away, they may be less available for you when you really need them.

3.  Consider their character. Greedy, selfish, or dishonest people are often not the best choice for best friend.

4. Give thought to how competitive each is. When you are working toward a goal, is one more likely to compete against you than help you to achieve it?

5. Consider ways each one complements you personally. Can you be a better team with one person than the other?

6. Decide who you trust the most. Trusting a person is a high priority in a friendship.

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Top 10 Best Friendship Quote and Saying

Top 10 Friendship Quote :

1. A stranger stabs you in the front; a friend stabs you in the back; a boyfriend stabs you in the heart, but best friends only poke each other with straws.

2. If you're alone, I'll be your shadow. If you want to cry, I'll be your shoulder. If you want a hug, I'll be your pillow. If you need to be happy, I'll be your smile. But anytime you need a friend, I'll just be me.

3. A loyal friend laughs at your jokes when they're not so good, and sympathizes with your problems when they're not so bad.

4. The words that escape a friend's mouth are "I'll be there when you say you need me" but the words that are unheard from a true friend's heart are "I'll be there... whether you say you need me or not."






5. Yesterday brought the beginning, tomorrow brings the end, and somewhere in the middle we became the best of friends.

6. It's the times we're so crazy,
that people think we're high.
It's the times we laugh so hard,
we can't help but cry.
It's all the inside jokes
and "remember whens".
those are all the reasons
that we're best friends!

7. The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you've had.

8. If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them

9. A stranger stabs you in the front; a friend stabs you in the back; a boyfriend stabs you in the heart, but best friends only poke each other with straws.

10. When we first talked to each other
I knew we would always be friends.
Our friendship has kept on growing
And I'll be here for you to the end.

You listen when I have a problem
And help dry the tears from my face.
You take away my sorrow
And put happiness in its place.

We can't forget the fun we've had
Laughing 'til our faces turn blue.
Talking of things only we find funny
People think we're insane-If they only knew!

I guess this is my way of saying thanks
For catching me when I fall.
Thanks once again for being such a good friend
And being here with me through it all.

How To Be a Better Friend

 

Make time for friendships. Nothing makes closeness fade away more than never talking to or seeing each other. While some bonds of friendship may be strong enough to span long silences, most aren't. If you cherish a person's friendship, make time for him or her, whether it's just the occasional phone call, e-mail or a weekly get-together.

• On your computer at home or work, make a note to "call friends" regularly.
  
  
• Keep a Post-it note on the phone, the bathroom mirror, the car dashboard, anywhere you're likely to see it.
  
  
• Also make sure your friends' phone numbers are programmed into your phone. Then call a friend when you have a spare 10 minutes.
  
  
• Schedule a regular once-a-month lunch – same time, same place.

Remember: a true friend doesn't flee when changes occur. Nothing is sadder for new parents than to find that their single friends have abandoned them because of the baby. A good friend is one who stays true through it all – marriage, parenthood, new jobs, new homes, any losses. Just because a situation's changed doesn't mean the person has.

Make sure you aren't being a burden to a friend. Friendships fade away if there isn't an equilibrium between the give and the take. Be sensitive to how much your friend can and can't offer you – be it time, energy or help – and don't overstep the mark. And vice versa: friendships that drain you will not last. If a friendship is out of balance, talk the situation through.






Be a good listener. It can be the hardest thing in the world to do – simply to listen as he or she pours it all out or is seeking your advice or opinion. To be a better listener, follow this advice:

• Maintain eye contact. Offer nods and murmurs to indicate that you understand his or her point of view.
  
  
• Don't finish your friend's sentences. If you catch yourself planning your response while your friend is still talking, gently remind yourself to focus.
  
  
• Minimize distractions – don't write or read e-mails, open the mail or watch television while you're on the phone to your friend. He or she will hear the lack of interest in your responses.
  
  
• Be careful with advice. Assume your friend wants to let off steam, not necessarily ask for a plan of action.
  

Be in your friend's corner if he or she's not there to defend him or herself. If you're at a gathering at which someone mentions your friend disparagingly, defend him or her against gossip or criticism. Say, "Mary is my friend, and it makes me feel bad to hear you talk this way." Sooner or later, news of your loyalty will travel back to your pal, and it will deepen your friendship.

How to Fix a Bad Relationship

No one wants to be in a bad relationship, but few of us are given the tools to fix relationships that aren't working. What follows is an in-depth but extremely effective way creating a healthy relationship, one step at a time. Whether the two of you are on the verge of breaking up, or if you just feel something is amiss and needs to be looked at further, the words that follow are meant to get you out of your rut and have you enjoying your relationship again.

How to Fix a Bad Relationship

Poor communication often derails the most important relationships in a person's life. The ability to listen is the best tool you can bring to any reconciliation efforts. This checklist of other pointers can help you patch things up with the parties indicated.

Instructions

Spouse

1. Remember that love is a verb. Choose to love your spouse for better or for worse.
   
2. Communicate even if it results in an argument. Choose a private place and a time when you won't be interrupted.
   
3. Outlaw any name calling, references to past history, and cheap shots during the argument. Stick to the issue at hand.
   
4. Listen to your spouse attentively without interruption. Pay attention to the emotions that lie behind the words and body language. Do not try to change those feelings or offer solutions; just validate them by listening.
   
5. Don't go to bed angry at each other. Call a truce before bedtime. Most things look better in the morning.
   
6. Take action. Do something every day that shows your love for your spouse even if you don't feel love. Love has a funny way of creeping back into the picture.
   
7. Remember that the bond of love grows even stronger after you've survived difficult times.
   
   
   

   Teenage child

8. 
   
   
   Step 1
   Set good examples through your actions. Listen attentively and let your teen know your love is unconditional. Resist complaining, nagging or criticizing.
   
9. 
   
   
   Step 2
   Give clear guidelines. Explain the reasons behind them and the consequences of failure to abide by them.
   
10. 
    
    
    Step 3
    If your teen disobeys the guidelines, reaffirm the reasons behind the guidelines and hold him or her responsible for the consequences.
    
11. 
    
    
    Step 4
    Choose your battles carefully. Is blue hair really worth arguing about? Also, make sure to notice and affirm positive behavior in your teen.
    
12. 
    
    
    Step 5
    Communicate openly about the many peer-related challenges, including alcohol, drugs, smoking and sex.
    
13. 
    
    
    Step 6
    Encourage your teen to get a part-time job to learn financial responsibility.
    
14. 
    
    Step 7
    Give your teen space and time to figure things out. Allow him or her to make mistakes. It's part of the learning process.
    
    
    

    In-laws

15. 
    
    
    Step 1
    Reach an agreement with your spouse that you are going to work on repairing your in-law relationship as a united couple.
    
16. 
    
    
    Step 2
    Make a list of past events that have injured the relationship. Forgive and forget, but also learn from the events.
    
17. 
    
    
    Step 3
    Set clear boundaries as a couple about what is acceptable behavior for your in-laws. Communicate these boundaries to your in-laws when necessary.
    
18. 
    
    Step 4
    Take time to get to know your in-laws. With knowledge comes greater understanding of these people and their behavior.
    
19. 
    
    
    Step 5
    Be polite and treat your in-laws with dignity and respect even if you don't like them.
    
20. 
    
    
    Step 6
    Learn to accept advice from your in-laws graciously even if you have no intention of following it: "Thank you for your thoughtful suggestion."
    
21. 
    
    
    Step 7
    Always give your in-laws another chance. Set new limits if necessary after a negative encounter, but keep the bond alive.
    
    
    

    Troublesome neighbor

22. 
    
    
    Step 1
    Explain to the neighbor in person how he or she is causing a problem. If you feel concerned for your safety, bring a friend and have the encounter in an area you consider safe.
    
23. 
    
    
    Step 2
    Suggest several solutions that take both your needs and your neighbor's into account.
    
24. 
    
    
    Step 3
    Listen attentively to your neighbor's version of events. If the neighbor becomes argumentative or threatening, end the encounter immediately. Do not engage your neighbor in an argument. Report any threats of bodily harm to the police.
    
25. 
    
    
    Step 4
    After you have listened to your neighbor, confirm that your neighbor agrees to one of the solutions. Be sure to thank him or her for cooperating.
    
26. 
    
    
    Step 5
    If the neighbor neglects your request, decide whether you can tolerate rude behavior to keep peace in the neighborhood.
    
27. 
    
    
    Step 6
    If you can't tolerate it, contact the landlord, neighborhood-watch representative or cooperative board. Call the police or city hall as a last resort.
    

Top 10 Reasons Your My Best Friend