Connect by Being Candid

 Being candid and being connected go together. You don't have one without the other. Genuine, healthy, deep, meaningful relationships are built on honesty, not flattery. Flattery is a sign of a manipulator, not a sign of somebody who is genuinely your friend.

All of us have blind spots. The question that really matters is, do you have anybody in your life who loves you enough to point them out? You cannot grow unless somebody points out the things that you can't see in your life, but that need changing. Let me give you three rules for being candid in relationships:

1. Compliment in public, correct in private. Do this with your children, your spouse, your employees, and your friends.

2. Correct when they're up and not down. When I'm feeling good, I can handle almost any correction. When I'm feeling tired, I can't handle anything. Timing is everything when you're being candid.

3. Never offer correction until you've proven that you are also willing to be corrected. Remember, seek to understand before seeking to be understood. You open up your life before you can expect someone else to be open with you.

" An honest answer is like a warm hug" (Proverbs 24:26 MSG)

Another great way to connect in relationships with people by Rick Warren. This is true, when you have a real genuine relationship. I hope you take this as an encouragement to be CANDID with people if you are wanting a genuine friend. I hear alot of people complain about genuine relationships don't exist and how people are "fake." Well if you want people to be genuine YOU FIRST have to be REAL and GENUINE. I just want to encourage you to be GENUINE if you want GENUINE.