Relationships
A reusable relationship decision framework: communication, family & friends, work, and self-awareness—with checklists and phrase templates for common situations.
Reading order
| Order | Section | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Self-awareness | Emotions and boundaries—know yourself first |
| 2 | Communication | Listening and feedback |
| 3 | Family & friends | Long-horizon ties |
| 4 | Workplace | Collaboration and managing up |
My relationship principles (template)
Write your baseline before conflicts; use it to decide trade-offs.
| Dimension | My choice | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Top values | Honesty / respect / reliability / growth | Pick 1–2 |
| Definition of a good relationship | e.g. can disagree without humiliation | |
| Time boundary | e.g. no non-urgent messages after 10 pm weekdays | |
| Non-negotiables | e.g. public belittling, repeated broken promises |
Deliverable: a principles card—when stuck, ask: “Does this violate my principles? What can I do without violating them?”
Subsections
| Section | Path |
|---|---|
| Communication | communication |
| Family & friends | family-friends |
| Workplace | workplace |
| Self-awareness | self-awareness |
Generic repair flow
When a rift appears (and no violence/manipulation red lines):
- Pause: don’t send long texts or argue while flooded.
- Name: “I care about ___. I feel ___. I need ___.” (see emotions)
- Listen: reflect back before responding (see listening).
- Request: small, verifiable steps—not “change your personality.”
- Follow up: check-in date; if no change, escalate boundaries.