Harmony in Relationships
Harmony is everywhere. It can be seen in the most microcosmic workings of nature, in the principles of music, in the biological processes in your body, and in the simplest interactions you have throughout the day. Harmony is a guiding force that helps the world to function in a healthy, productive, and happy way.
It may be tempting to think of harmony as the same as equal balance, but often, it’s not. Think about it: if every instrument had a completely equal part in a symphony, what would it sound like? If your body didn’t have the ability to raise its temperature in response to a virus, what might happen? Harmony is the happy sweet spot between total equality and a slight tip in the scale that can accommodate a temporarily heavy load on one side.
In nature, harmony seems to manifest itself quite easily unless we humans intervene. In our relationships, though, maintaining harmony can be particularly challenging because there are often so many factors involved. Here’s how to work at keeping harmony in your relationships:
Stay Mindful
Staying mindful of the needs of those you interact with is crucial to maintaining harmony in your relationships. For example, if a loved one is ill, or struggling with a particularly challenging part of their life, they’ll likely need your support more than you need theirs. In cases like these, it will be beneficial for you to take a more active role in your relationship that they are—this may mean reaching out to them more, taking on more responsibilities, or making some other effort to let them know you are there for them.
Resolve Conflict
Sometimes, the needs of two people in a relationship conflict, leading to arguments, anger, and overall negativity. This isn’t productive for anyone. In these cases, both sides must take a step back and evaluate who requires the priority most.
Reevaluate
Maintaining harmony in relationships sometimes means that the responsibilities, needs, or actions of one individual may be larger. However, it certainly does not mean that it will always need to be this way. After all, harmony is dynamic—it moves and changes meaning over time. If you feel that a relationship isn’t equal, isn’t changing, and is causing you stress, overwork, frustration, or overall unhappiness, consider communicating your feelings with them.
With these simple guidelines, we hope that all of your relationships will be nourished by the forgiving, resilient, and caring qualities of harmony.
