As Paul J. Meyer said, "Communication--the human connection--is the key to personal and career success." There is no bigger lesson I have learned throughout my 21 years of life than the importance of communication. We communicate with our friends, partners, family and work colleagues on a daily basis, but we have a habit of avoiding certain types of conversation.
1. Friendships
If you can't communicate how you truly feel with your friends, then who can you? Sometimes it becomes easiest to tell a white lie rather than communicate how you really feel. Even if it comes down to the simplest and probably stupidest of all questions such as, "Does this shirt look okay?," voice your honest opinion. Trust me, your friend will thank you. It is extremely easy to misunderstand something that someone says. With that in mind, if your feelings are hurt over what your friend said or did, do not harbor those feelings for days on end. That will only drive you to insanity and create an awkward and uncomfortable situation. Be open and honest. Resolution is one of the best feelings in the world.
2. Romantic Relationships
In all honesty, if you want your relationship with your significant other to succeed it will only do so with communication from BOTH parties. You can't expect your relationship to flourish and blossom if only one person is constantly communicating how they feel. A relationship is comprised of equal parts expressing your feelings towards your boyfriend/girlfriend, and expressing how you feel. It's not okay to always complain about what upsets you, but it also isn't okay to always boast about your happiness. Remember, your significant other was and always will be your friend before he/she is your significant other so, treat them with the same respect as you would your other friends.
3. Family
Your family is sacred to you and that is why communicating with your family is most important. They are the ones you should call first at the wake of an emergency, when you receive out-of-this-world news and when you're feeling a little down. If there is one thing you can always count on your family for it is the truth. No matter how harsh or cruel, they will always tell you how it is and vice versa. Your family will and always will have your back, just don't forget to pick up the phone and call them once in a while.
4. Work Relationships
Fostering relationships at work will keep you sane from those crazy, hectic days on the job. Making friends at work is okay, but you have to know where to draw the line. The job itself comes first, not making friends. At any job, you're expected to work well with others, and in order to do so, you have to have good communication skills. Talk about the task at hand, and how to go about completing it to the best of your group's ability. Don't just assume you're all on the same page because that will only bring problems in the future. Aside from this, communicating with your colleagues is a great way of networking. This will create strong roots for you to use as a resource in the future. Overall, establishing yourself as a professional involves communicating with others and this will only benefit your future success.
