Successful Relationships Reading Corner
This week, we said that it’s important to know you can choose peaceful relationships. Here are some articles on different aspects of this choice.
Reality as a Social Construct “Just as socialization is mostly determined by the world and culture around us, our perception of the world is also influenced by external forces. Consider your own society, for example. A society describes a group of people who live in a defined geographical area, interact with one another, and share a common culture. How do you think your society was “constructed”? Who decided upon the appropriate social norms and behaviors that shape your reality and experience? Sociologists understand that reality is socially constructed, meaning that people shape their experiences through social interaction.”
The Secret to Peaceful Relationships “So here is the dilemma: We develop an expectation about someone else’s future behavior; then, if the expectation isn’t met, we experience an emotional reaction. The way out of this dilemma is to get in touch with one of life’s big questions, which is, “What do you really want?” Do you want to set yourself up to experience internal stress and bring struggle into your relationships – or do you want to feel a sense of internal – and interpersonal – ease and well-being?”
Cultivating peaceful relationships “…The above examples relate to peace as an end goal, as something to achieve. There is, however, another context for understanding the term peace. This context refers to a personal inner orientation that shapes our relationships and actions. Within such a context peace is experienced as the inner freedom to live and act in our world in accord with a value of nonviolence.”