Time-outs: Making relationships easier

Do you have that special someone or certain friend you would do ANYTHING for? Short on cash you spot them, car breaks down you lend them a ride, and not to mention the late night tearful phone calls. These acts decipher the relationship between acquaintances and friends. 

But lets face it, sometimes people ( no matter who they are: family, friends, spouse) get on your DAMN nerves; and for that God invented “Time outs”!  Time outs are the exact act you need when the person you care for is out of line or annoying. Time outs  typically last anywhere from two days to two weeks, and in this time period you miss the person and appreciate them all over again.

Time out sessions are necessary for these relationships because a majority of the situations in which you are aggravated are due to the persons faults or personality traits. Meaning, they didn’t necessarily do anything (terribly) wrong, but their actions are intolerable and bug the heck out of you. 

Instances this applies to:

The: best friends, people you party with, co- worker genre--

Everyone has a best friend in which you do everything together; get drinks, shop, gym ect. Yet sometimes they say or do things which makes you look at them like “OMG you are annoying me, please shut the hell up!”  

I use the word look because you wouldn’t dare tell a good friend they are aggravating you; when they're simply being a friend. A good example of this is the friend who complains to you each week about how their spouse is cheating on them wrong; and each week you give them the same advice. Low and behold, they come crying to you the next week with the same problem, and you are sick and tired of listening to the bull. Instead of explaining how you give the same advice over and over,  let a time out heal the situation and distance yourself from the person. Maybe you can appreciate the persons struggle when you don't hear it so often. 

DRASTIC MEASURES:

Now sometimes people (including yourself) perform selfish acts, in which we feel terrible afterwards. This could be dating a best friends ex, missing an important event, or telling a deep secret. Instead of writing the relationship off--give it a time out.  For instance, have you ever had one to many drinks and said something to your friend that was true, but it came out the wrong way?Instead of apologizing to the friend a thousand times, send a nice email, and expect a time out! Eventually they will have time to build trust, and will come with the next juicy gossip! 

Life is to short to hold grudges, and be mad! Apply the timeout method to the people who really matter; and let karma deal with the rest! -LisH