9781422278109

Relationships Etiquette for Success

TITLES IN THE SERIES

• Dining • Relationships • School • Social Media & Online Manners

• Social Situations • Traveling Abroad • Workplace

Relationships Etiquette for Success Sarah Smith

MASON CREST

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, Pennsylvania PA 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll free)

Copyright © 2019 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN: 978-1-4222-3971-1

Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3969-8 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7810-9 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress. Printed and bound in the United States of America.

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Contents

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Introduction

Chapter One: The Importance of Good Etiquette When Forming Relationships

Chapter Two: Making Friends & Building Contacts Chapter Three: The Benefits of Forming Lasting Friendships Chapter Four: Societies, Clubs, Sports & Charitable Causes Chapter Five: Dating, New Relationships & Safety Chapter Six: Love, Respect & Marriage Chapter Seven: How to End a Relationship Respectfully

15 23 29 37 45 53 60 61 62 64

Series Glossary of Key Terms

Further Reading & Internet Resources

Index

Picture/Video Credits & About the Author

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Words to Understand : These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

Introduction

Dear Reader, As you read on, you will learn that in any given situation you must be knowledgeable about the expectations set by society regarding your actions and how they will or will not meet the social norms for good manners and etiquette. It being essential to your success, you learn how your behavior will always be central to how others see you. Unfortunately, many people are judged, or written off almost instantly because of their lack of etiquette. Times have certainly changed, and while society adapts, you must set your own goals for politeness, good manners, and kindness. All around you there are modern dilemmas to face, but let your good manners set you apart. Start by showing sensitivity toward others, maintain a keen awareness about how those around you feel, and note how your behavior impacts your peers. Consider that even with changes in the world around you, etiquette must be inclusive and understanding across ages and cultures, and sensitive to your setting. It is important that you take the time to learn; read, practice, and ask questions of those whom you respect. Learn about writing a business letter, sending holiday invitations, or communicating with peers—certain etiquettes should be followed. Is it rude to keep checking your phone during lunch with a friend? Are handwritten thank-you notes still necessary? It is said that good manners open doors that even the best education cannot. Read on and learn what it takes to make a great first impression.

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“No matter who you are or what you do, your manners will have a direct impact on your professional and social success.”

“No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.”

“Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners”

“Life is short, but there is always time enough for courtesy”

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Words to Understand

etiquette: the customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group socialize: meet people and participate in social activities social isolation: a real or perceived absence of relationships; complete or near-complete lack of contact with other people or society as a whole

Humans are sociable beings who have an innate need for human connection. Social interaction is known to decrease stress, which is important for mental as well as physical health. 8

Chapter One The Importance of Good Etiquette When Forming Relationships

H umans are social by nature. Whether we are extroverted or introverted, outgoing or shy, “social butterflies” or “lone wolves,” we all crave and need interaction with others on a regular basis in one form or another. Generally speaking, humans find social isolation stressful. Because of our innate need for human connection, virtually everything we do in life will in some way affect our relationships and the way we socialize . And it works both ways, too: that is, the quality of our relationships can actually influence what we do, how we behave, how we think, and how we see the world. Our parents, our siblings, our spouses, our boyfriends and girlfriends, our friends— we all have folks in our lives whom we consider near and dear to our hearts. Remember,

too, that we are near and dear to others as well. Each and every one of us matters, and, at our very core, each and every one of us simply wants to be loved and appreciated for who we are. But given how important relationships are, it’s a bit of a wonder that we don’t often see classes in school that can help us learn how to create healthy relationships in the first place. It’s far too easy to take our relationships with the people we consider most important in our lives for granted. Just look at the statistics on marriage: a full 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce, and the rate is even higher for people who get married a second or third time.

Successful close relationships provide feelings of happiness, love, and fulfillment.

The Importance of Good Etiquette When Forming Relationships

Marriage is complex and serious, so you will have to learn how to overcome potential problems along the way. Clearly, breakdowns in relationships are common, and even the healthiest and most fulfilling relationships will have their ups and downs. So it’s a worthwhile goal to show more appreciation, care, and respect toward the people who matter to us most. But how do we form good relationships exactly? Is it really just as simple as “clicking” with the right person?

Etiquette Counts: Especially With Your Loved Ones

Whether you’ve known a person for thirty seconds or thirty years, you’ll be far more likely to form a healthy relationship with him or her if you have good etiquette . Think about it: would you rather have a friend who is honest and considerate, or deceitful and disrespectful? Would your want your partner to be generous and kind, or self-centered and mean? Do you want your parents to

treat you and your siblings fairly, or would you be okay with your parents playing favorites and not setting firm boundaries? Just about all of us want our loved ones to demonstrate the first set of traits in the above scenarios. Fortunately, we don’t have to rely only on personalities “clicking” in order to be treated this way (or to treat others this way, for that matter). When it comes to creating healthy relationships, good etiquette— which includes being honest, considerate, gracious, courteous, tactful, generous, kindhearted, and fair—is a key component. Having good etiquette is like having a good toolbox that gives you all the tools you need to build healthy, fulfilling, and satisfying relationships. Not only will proper etiquette help you make a good first impression on potential

Even from childhood, good etiquette and respect for others are key requirements for forming good relationships with siblings, friends, and relatives. 10

Etiquette for Success: Relationships

Couples who stay together for life are very lucky, for they have managed to find their perfect partner. However, long-term relationships are not all plain sailing — couples have to practice good etiquette over many years. This includes being honest, considerate, gracious, courteous, tactful, generous, kindhearted, and fair. friends, partners, and colleagues, but it can also improve the chances that the relationships you build will have good “staying power”—that they will be long-lasting, fulfilling, and beneficial to both people involved. In this book, you’re going to learn how good etiquette can help you maintain high quality relationships with the people in your lives. You’ll be given some helpful tips (including confidence-builders and information about basic social skills) to help you make new friends and build contacts across every area of life—from school to work, the wider community, and so on. You’ll learn the clear benefits of developing and building lasting friendships, and what it means to be a good friend. You’ll be given some specific pointers on appropriate ways to engage with others in social settings such as clubs, sports, and charitable activities.

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The Importance of Good Etiquette When Forming Relationships

Whether you’ve just started dating someone or have been with them for years, building a happy and long-term relationship is something that has to be learned. 12

Etiquette for Success: Relationships Next, you’ll be provided with some practical tips on how to navigate the dating world in a safe, mature, and open-hearted way. Whether you’ve just started dating someone or have been with them for years, this book will provide many valuable insights that can help both you and your partner enjoy each other’s company and grow in your relationship, both together as a couple and as individuals. Finally, you’ll learn about some eye-opening concepts that can help you through one of the most stressful parts of life—breakups. No matter why a relationship may end, it’s important to remember that all parties involved deserve to be treated with as much respect as possible throughout the process. This book will teach you ways to be kind to a soon-to- be-ex and yourself. In short, this book will teach you how to build better relationships with virtually anyone in your life, whether it’s a stranger on the street, your parents, your best friend, or your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Let’s begin!

Text-Dependent Questions 1. Why do humans find social isolation stressful? 2. What percentage of marriages end in divorce? 3. Why is good etiquette important when forming a new relationship? Research Project Interview a friend or member of your family who has been in a lifelong relationship. Ask them why their relationship has been so successful and ask them what they have had to do to maintain its success.

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Words to Understand

body language: communicating nonverbally

through conscious or unconscious gestures and movements

empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of others peer: a person of the same age, status, or ability as another specified person

Many of our first friendships are forged at school. It is at this stage of our lives that we learn about maintaining good relationships with others who are not in our close family group. 14