All too often amazing relationships that seem destined to last forever suddenlly fall apart. Why does it happen? Well, according to relationship experts it’s all down to three pesky communication problems that can rip a great couple apart if they’re not caught in time.
Do you want to hear a mind-blowing fact? 93 per cent of all communication is non-verbal. However, you can’t depend on these non-verbal aspects when it comes to really connecting with your partner. In relationships, it is our words that can have the most impact.
So what are the three biggest communication mistakes that couples tend to make and, more importantly, how can we fix them before they become a major problem?
It’s important to keep an open mind when talking with your partner. Don’t shut down.
Problem #1: You stop telling the truth
When it comes to relationships, sometimes telling the truth is hard. We stop ourselves from being honest with our other half because we’re afraid of hurting his feelings, being judged or his reaction. Time and time again, we tell ourselves to use some tact and to avoid telling the whole truth.
However, avoiding confrontation by dancing around the truth will end up hurting you and your partner in the long run.
Above all else, it’s important to tell the truth – even if you’re scared, even if it hurts him and even if you’re uncomfortable with it. When you withold the truth you create distance between yourself and your man, whether you mean to or not.
Problem #2: The kindness goes
The longer you spend with your other half, the more the ‘honeymoon phase’ tends to wear off. There’s an old saying which goes along the lines of “familiarity breeds contempt” – this means that we tend to hurt the people we love the most, simply because they’re there. Over time, we sort of forget that our other half is just as vulnerable as us, so our kindness in the relationship goes out the window.
The most important thing you can remember is to remain respectful and compassionate. Don’t tease him, don’t be overly sarcastic if he asks you a question. If you’re not kind to each other, you’ll grow apart. Fact.
Always tell the truth, even if you’re afraid of the reaction you’ll get in return
Problem #3: You forget to keep an open mind
In relationships, we all want to be right. We want to have the last word, the winning argument or the clever opinion. In fact, many of us would prefer to win tha to be happy at the end of it all. Therefore it’s so important to keep an open mind with your partner.
Don’t judge them for what they have to say and don’t assume that you’re always going to be right. Simply listen to what he has to say, then think about it for a few minutes before you respond. Remember: no problems were ever solved with a major screaming match. Instead make an effort to work through an issue as calmly as possible.
