Build Stronger Relationships: Ways to Personally Validate Others That Work!

The previous post was about personal validation and why it is essential in building solid relationships.

As promised, below are some specific actions you can take to provide personal validation:

• Being 100% present in the here and now by giving someone your full, undivided attention.

• Don't be looking at your cell phone! Make a point to let the other person see you put it away or, even better, turn it off.

• Listening without even interjecting with thoughts of your own. 

• Visualizing another person's emotional experience or empathizing with them to understand what they are going through. 

• Appreciating and communicating that emotional reactions are never wrong, but rather a natural response to stimulus, and those emotional reactions are individualized. 

• Removing blame from emotional reactions and simply trying to understand where they come from without judgment or criticism.

• Simply repeating back what the other person has said. 

• Showing emotional validation through physical touches, like a hug or hand on their shoulder.

• Don't emotionally hide behind your electronic devices. Return phone calls and texts to the people you care about as soon as possible. Today's electronic devices make it so easy to acknowledge a message by sending a quick reply with an emoticon. Whatever you do, remember it's rude to "ghost" others, especially those you care about and love! "Texting is not talking, and talking is not doing." Better yet, seek out a personal meeting when possible.

Here are some specific verbal statements that are effective validators to consider as well:

• I'm here for you.

• I hear you.

• Thank you for trusting me and telling me this.

• It's difficult to be emotional about something we can't see. 

• This experience has helped me appreciate what's going on with you right now. 

• You're not alone in this. I think if anyone gets it, it would be me. 

• I want to know more about what you think and why you feel that way.

When we take the time to make others feel heard and validated, we find that our relationships become stronger than ever before!

Promoting emotional validation is a conscious act. Some ways to validate others have been provided above.

Now it's time to discover and implement the methods that work for you. So feel and spread the love!

Thanks for reading!

Russell Anderson

***

P.S. I appreciate and respect your investment of precious time to read my work! I strive to provide thought-worthy content that generates a worthwhile return on your investment.