August 10, 2017
Could the firewalk improve your relationships?
When you hear the word “relationship,” what do you think of? Many people think of a romantic relationship — that is, having a “significant other.” But that’s a limited perspective. Everyone has and is part of a relationship, regardless of whether or not you’re romantically involved with someone else. Think about the people you interact with daily, such as the close interactions you have with your colleagues. These can create strong bonds over time. The same is true if you’re a parent, friend or pet owner.
And then there’s the relationship you have with yourself – which is one of the most important ones.
As Tony Robbins always says, if you’re not growing, you’re dying. Growth is the secret to happiness – and a key element of growth is a commitment to constant and never-ending improvement, or what Tony calls “CANI.” Improvement is not just something that is relegated to certain areas, such as your career or your health – it applies to all areas, and that includes your relationships.
One unexpected way that you can improve your relationships is by taking on the Tony Robbins firewalk challenge at his Unleash the Power Within event. Here are some ways that it will help you CANI this area of your life.
Facing fears and stepping into your pain
Cultivating a close, intimate relationship of any sort requires a great deal of courage on your part. It means being willing to face and overcome your innermost challenges so that you can be entirely open, honest and vulnerable with your partner.
In other words, it requires a willingness to step into your pain and process it so that you can leave the fear that comes along with it at the door.
The firewalk helps you with this by challenging you to face your most primal fears head on. As you walk your bare feet across those coals, each step further solidifies the reality that not even your greatest fears can get in the way of who you want to be. This renewed confidence and sense that you are enough just as you are will minimize the insecurities that pose obstacles in your relationships while maximizing your ability to be present and open with your partner.
Finding strength to improve your relationships
In addition to empowering you to take on more in life and your relationships, the firewalk gives you the tools you need to empower your partner as well. Every relationship endures stressful times at some point or another. When those times come, you have two choices: You can let it weaken your bond, or you can seize it as an opportunity to make your relationship stronger.
Once you complete the firewalk, you’ll have a better understanding of what’s required to transform trying times into personal strength, and you and your partner can apply it to any number of stressful situations in your lives.
Leaving it all behind and moving forward
Firewalking is similar to any sticky, stressful or challenging situation. To get the most out the experience and to feel like you’ve successfully accomplished the obstacle, it requires a calm and focused state of mind, belief in yourself and the courage to move forward.
Leveraging the firewalk to improve communication in your relationship
After completing the firewalk, you will find yourself feeling more empowered to effectively communicate, more so than ever before.
If you’re not able to effectively communicate with your partner, being in and maintaining a relationship is nearly impossible. We’ve all had those moments when a simple discussion escalates into a heated argument about every past bump that’s occurred in the relationship. This typically happens when you’re not present, when you’re not carefully listening with an open mind or fully focused on the interaction between you and your partner.
The present state of mind required to be a good listener, resolve conflict and ultimately be an effective partner are skills that are called upon and necessary for completing the firewalk. As you traverse the hot coals, your mind is looking only at the task at hand. It’s not pulling information from the past or causing you to fret about the future — as you’re fully focused on the challenge in front of you.
The firewalk will break you of the habit of ruminating about the past and future to address the present moment. You will be instilled with the ability to leverage a present state of mind to take on communication challenges in your life and in all of your relationships.
If you’re looking to strengthen and preserve your relationships now and in the future, then it’s your time to experience the firewalk at Unleash the Power Within.
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