Getting along with your neighbor

Not many of us live on a 10 acre estate where we don't have to worry about getting along with our neighbors. The rest of us, whether we like it or not, need to have a good relationship with the people who live above, below or next door to us.

Why do we have to maintain good relations with our neighbors? Well, first of all, living in a hostile environment isn't good for us. It can affect our health and definitely affects our attitude. Secondly, a neighbor with whom you're friendly is much more likely to keep an eye on your property when you're away or be willing to do small favors for you - like pick up your mail when you're away from home.

But what if your neighbor is so crazy or difficult to along with that he actually made his previous neighbor move away? Are you going to give up and move away too? Or is there a way to improve this situation?

Here are a few things you can try that almost always work to improve this type of relationship:

• First of all - be friendly. Say "good morning" or "have a nice day" every time you see them. Compliment them on their garden, their well-kept lawn or anything else you think they're proud of.
• At community get-togethers or meetings, go out of your way to think of nice things you can say about them to other neighbors. You'll force them to live-up to these standards!
• If your children go to the same school, offer to form a car-pool to take all the children to school. They'll appreciate the relief from driving to school everyday. In addition, if the children become friends they'll find it harder to be rude to you.
• Does your neighbor have a pet they adore? If they have to board their pet every time they go out of town for a weekend, offer to pet sit the next time they're planning a trip.
• Do you barbecue in your backyard often, sending all those wonderful smells wafting over to your neighbors? Prepare some extra once in a while and offer it to your neighbor. It's guaranteed to turn them around.

If you're willing to go the extra mile - you can certainly change a hostile neighbor into a friend!