Inner Compass – Shalini Sareen – Life & Executive Coach

The very definition of taking someone for granted is assuming that the person will always stick around, regardless of whether you put enough effort into maintaining the relationship. Few people would leave their cars unattended for months or ignore all warning lights that may appear on the dashboard. In human relationships, not communicating or prioritizing someone who is of importance to you could be some common instances.

There is also a tendency to especially take those people for granted who are open, emotional, overshare their personal feeling and appear needy. However, one needs to remember that everyone likes to be genuinely acknowledged, every now and then. It can result in the relationship becoming strained or distant, as the other person may feel unappreciated or undervalued. It’s important to express gratitude and show appreciation for the people in our lives to maintain strong and healthy relationships.

Here’s what happens when you take someone for granted, be it friends, spouse, colleagues or a romantic partner: they start feeling resentful and angry. It’s not their fault. We have a basic human need to feel appreciated and acknowledged. When we don’t get that, we risk feeling resentful and angry, two things that will ruin the potential of any relationship right from the start

The way you fix taking things for granted in a relationship is to have a real heart-to-heart conversation and let them know that you realize you’ve acted badly. Then, together, commit to improving your relationship with intentional gratitude and appreciation for each other.

Taking someone for granted and having a rift with them is a hard lesson to live with, and one that you may not want to happen. If you know you have been taking someone for granted, take immediate steps to fix the situation before it’s too late.