Openness is an important aspect of relationships

One of the many important aspects of relationships is communication, even though many of us are new to it or have never been in the habit of practicing it. The chances of a relationship surviving without communication are very slim. 

One of the fundamentals of communication is openness, you have to be open to expressing yourself, saying how you feel, what you like, what makes you cringe with discomfort and discussions on what tools you and your partner need to adopt in order to make your relationship work. 

People who tend to be high in the trait of openness are more willing to embrace new things, fresh ideas, and novel experiences. 

They are open-minded and approach new things with curiosity and tend to seek out novelty. 

They tend to pursue new adventures, experiences, and creative endeavors. They are also very good at thinking about and making connections between different concepts and ideas.

When you love someone (be it friends, family or partner) and pour your heart out to them, you hope to be heard and understood, isn’t it?

Emotional barriers 

It can be very painful and frustrating when you realise that they are ‘miles away’ (mentally and emotionally) even though you may be living in close proximity. You may attempt to reach out, but it seems like there is an emotional barrier that is hard to cross. 

With time, this barrier gets bigger, resentment builds, and it gets even harder to connect from an open and loving space.

Emotional openness in relationships can be difficult for many reasons, but thankfully there are ways of encouraging and nurturing a heart-to-heart relationship with the people you love. 

And every effort in this direction is worth it.

Past hurts that have been buried in our hearts, inevitably surface in some shape or form to cause trouble at a later stage. 

As painful as it is, unless we learn to resolve and release those hurtful experiences, they continue to fester. 

Be more patient 

Forgiving those who have hurt us can be a huge relief which often results in a new level of emotional openness.

When an atmosphere of acceptance is created, people in your life are more likely to share their feelings openly. When they feel emotionally safe and accepted, they are able to return the same feeling to you! 

How wonderful it would be if we could learn to be more patient and understanding. Start with small steps and small gestures of acceptance.

This is the biggest gift we can offer to another person. 

When negative emotions are running high, it becomes especially important to be open and receptive, instead of reacting strongly. When difficult conversations are handled well, the relationship automatically strengthens.

At the end of the day, ask your partner or family members how their day was. Be willing to actively listen to what they have to say. 

Be open to listening without judgments or interrupting them. Just be Present.

Make sure you open lines of communication, your partner should feel free enough to pour their heart out to you with the certainty that they will in turn receive the same from you.