Aug 12
Love0

Deeper Empathy in Marriage: What’s the Secret?

By Communication, Marriage 3 Comments

In marriage, it’s crucial to be able to empathize with one another. We like to think about it as trading places–taking a walk in one another’s shoes. Empathy is the key to a happy, successful marriage…but what is the key to empathy? We like to think of self-awareness as the number one secret to achieving empathy in marriage. Being aware of your own emotions, and able to look at them objectively, allows you to step outside yourself and pay closer attention to what your spouse is feeling or going through. When you lack self-awareness of your emotional state, you get…

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Aug 05
Love0

The Ultimate Conflict Resolution Roundup

By Conflict, Marriage, Relationships No Comments

Looking for resources to help you and your spouse with conflict resolution? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve created a roundup of our top posts to help you and your partner navigate conflict. Let’s dive in. Problem Solving Working through problems together is one of the most important things a couple will learn to do over the course of marriage. Here are some tips for solving problems constructively. 4 Tips For Constructively Resolving Conflict With Your Spouse Locked in a disagreement? Not sure what to do next? Here are 4 tips for helping you and your spouse resolve conflict….

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Jul 29
Love0

Does Brutal Honesty Have a Place in Marriage?

By Communication, Conflict, Marriage 6 Comments

Do you pride yourself on being “brutally honest”? Many of us do, but should it really be a point of pride in marriage? While the old adage “the truth hurts” can be true, we should do our best to avoid being honest in a hurtful way. But oftentimes, we find ourselves in situations where we may try to justify harshness as a way to sway our spouses one way or the other. The Bible is full of wisdom on how we should treat one another. While we should absolutely be honest with our spouses, scripture also teaches us to be…

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Jul 22
Love0

Help! My Spouse Gets Controlling When We Disagree

By Conflict 4 Comments

Does this scenario sound familiar? Most of the time, you and your spouse tend to have a peaceful relationship…until you get into a disagreement. And during those times, you feel like you barely recognize them. So what is going on? It’s possible that your spouse actually has a control problem–maybe even one they keep well-hidden until their buttons get pushed. But how is that possible? Control freaks aren’t always controllers in every scenario. Sometimes, the controlling qualities come out in certain circumstances. Having a fight can bring out the worst in anyone, but it tends to ignite the control freak…

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Jul 15
Love0

3 Ways to Calm an Argument with Your Spouse

By Communication, Conflict 4 Comments

There aren’t many things that are worse than getting in an argument with your spouse that just keeps escalating. No matter what either of you try to do, you seem to be at a stalemate. Or worse, things are starting to get a little ugly. Luckily, there are several ways you can defuse heated conflict with your spouse. Doing so will give you both the opportunity to step back, regroup, and come back to the discussion with a fresh perspective. Let’s dive in. 1. Slow your response time. Many of us struggle with the impulse to jump right in and…

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Jul 08
Love0

5 Ways Relationship Assessments Can Help You Strengthen Your Love

By Relationships No Comments

One of the most important things you can do for your marriage is to constantly work to cultivate deeper passion, intimacy, and connection with your partner. Relationship assessments are tools you can use to get to know one another better and strengthen your love. Wondering what assessments can do for your relationship? Take a look at some of the major benefits you and your partner will get from diving deeper into your own personalities, and your dynamic as a couple. 1. Explore how each of you engages in conflict. Each person has a different fight style, and it’s likely that…

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Jul 01
Love0

Can Marriage Mentors Help with Conflict Resolution?

By Marriage, Relationships 2 Comments

Are you dealing with a conflict in your marriage? Struggling to reach a workable solution–or just stuck in a stalemate? Marriage mentors can provide the support you need to help you and your spouse resolve conflict in your relationship, whether it’s a long- or short-term problem. Married couples face good and bad times throughout their marriages. It’s just a given. But sometimes, we find ourselves locked into an issue we can’t seem to shake. If you and your spouse are going through a hard time, there’s help available. One way to get support for your marriage is by connecting with…

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Jun 24
Love0

How to Back Your Empathy with Action

By Marriage, Relationships 3 Comments

Empathy is more than just taking an internal walk in your partner’s shoes. Instead, real empathy requires action. Without action, empathy won’t go very far in your relationship. As James D. Parker said, “Empathy alone matters little if we fail to act.” Empathy is transformative. It helps us see, hear, and understand one another like nothing else. And, when properly cultivated, it inspires action. We must back our empathy with action if we want to show our spouses how much we truly love them. So how can we back our empathy with action? Let’s dive in. 1. Set aside your…

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Jun 17
Love0

3 Truths About Anger Everyone Should Know

By Conflict, Relationships 8 Comments

Anger is a natural part of being human, but it can also become destructive when uncontrolled. Likewise, anger is a natural part of conflict. It’s important that we understand how to manage anger so that we can effectively manage conflicts in our marriages and other interpersonal relationships. Anger tends to be the result of a perceived injustice against us. When improperly processed and communicated, anger can damage relationships–sometimes irreversibly. Uncontrolled anger can muddy the waters of a good fight and prevent us from getting to the core of the issue at hand. Let’s look at a few truths about anger…

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Jun 10
Love0

3 Ways to Make Loving Like Jesus a Habit

By Self Reflection 2 Comments

“We are what we repeatedly do.” – Aristotle Not only in marriage, but in life, we need to love like Jesus did. Loving like Jesus allows us to step into all seasons and circumstances with the ability to love with mindfulness, approachability, grace, boldness, and selflessness. If we want to love like that automatically, we have to make it a habit. Although we as humans are not perfect and can’t expect to be, we can cultivate the habit of actively loving like Jesus. It takes time and intentionality, but it can be done–and your relationships will reap its rewards. Let’s…

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