Category

Communication

Apr 24
0

What to do When Career Goals Collide

By | Careers, Communication | 3 Comments

When you are both passionate about your future and your careers, your dreams and goals can sometimes collide. Life will take you many directions, and career goals can shift and change. For example, you may have been promoted and asked to work in another city. Or perhaps a new baby is in your future. On the flip side, maybe one of you lost your job and you are starting fresh. When it comes to careers, it’s important to remember that your career is not only an expression of your gifts, but the tool that provides for your family. Balancing your…

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Apr 17
3

Navigating Unspoken Rules and Unconscious Roles

By | Communication, Marriage | One Comment

Do you know that you live by an invisible rule book? You may not even know you have it, but all of us do. You likely have harbored unspoken rules of what a great marriage should look since before you were married. And along those lines, chances are you have an idea of what roles you and your spouse should play once you are married. Without knowing it, couples are drawn into acting out roles they form from a blend of their personal dispositions, family backgrounds and marital expectations. For many couples, this can be a big speed bump in…

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Mar 27
2

Charting Your Course as a Couple

By | Communication | One Comment

We’ve all heard jokes about people who never want to stop and ask for directions – they think they can find their way without help. But when it comes to your future as a couple, stopping to discuss your direction together is an essential ingredient needed to get on the same track. It takes a lot of strategic thought to determine who you are and where are you headed as a couple, not as individuals. Slowing down to figure this out is imperative. Charting your course in twelve month increments is a key approach to maintaining a healthy relationship. Additionally,…

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Mar 20
4

How to Stop the Never-Ending Money Arguments

By | Communication, Conflict | 3 Comments

Arguments over money are inevitable. Money is a hot topic and according to research is usually the number one source of conflict for couples in marriages. Money represents power, and is the source for meeting needs and wants. Because of this, it’s easy to feel like you have to protect yourself when a conversation with your spouse comes up about money. And feeling the need to protect your values and needs can often spiral into an argument. Money talks will rear their head from time to time in your relationship, it’s unavoidable and is an important conversation that’s necessary in…

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Mar 13
6

The Importance of Spiritual Intimacy

By | Communication, Marriage, Scripture, Self Reflection | 3 Comments

Spiritual intimacy is one of the most important, yet least talked about aspects of marital health. There are countless studies that show how important it is to share a spiritual bond. This intimacy encompasses your deepest core values, your mission and your passion for life. Spiritual intimacy in a relationship is developed through your activities together, such as attending church. However, it’s also a direct reflection of your journey inside as well. Your spiritual activities are external, while your spiritual values are internal and part of the core of who you are. These go hand in hand. Attending church together…

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Mar 06
2

Balancing Your Head and Heart: What to Do If You Are a Sympathizer

By | Communication, Marriage, Self Reflection | 5 Comments

“Our nervous systems are constructed to be captured by the nervous systems of others, so that we can experience others as if from within their skin.” – Daniel Stern Are you a natural sympathizer? If you answered yes, you likely find yourself rushing to the aid of your spouse, or others, when they are in need. Or, at least when you think they are in need. But are they? People with sympathetic personalities are much more inclined to let their feelings guide them than others. Their hearts take precedence over their heads. In certain situations, this is a very valuable…

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Feb 27
6

How to Build Friendships with Other Couples

By | Communication, Marriage, Time | 2 Comments

When it comes down to it, friendships are built off of having things in common. Whether it’s the same sense of humor, having shared interests, or going through similar life experiences, these are all things that can bring you closer together. This can come somewhat naturally when you are connecting with just one other person. However, when you are building a friendship with another couple this can get complex. You now have four personalities to mesh, rather than just two. Not to mention the pace of life we all live is so complex and can be dramatically different from couple…

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Feb 13
9

Strengthening the Intimacy in Your Relationship

By | Communication, Marriage, Scripture | 17 Comments

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Intimacy is the soul-to-soul and heart-to-heart connection that a couple has between them. It’s the defining moment in a relationship where you truly get each other. However, intimacy is fluid in a marriage. It’s easy to get distracted…

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Feb 06
4

How to Keep Romance Alive in Your Marriage

By | Communication, Marriage | 3 Comments

“Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine.” —Song of Solomon 1:2 With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching romance is often a topic on our minds. But how do you keep the romance alive after years of marriage? It’s not a surprise that we all go through different seasons of marriage. Some weeks, months, or even years, are harder and less romantic than others. This is normal and can take some work to rekindle the flame, but you can get through it. If you work hard at keeping the romance alive, it will be a game…

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Jan 30
12

Relationship Woes: How to Turn a Negative Attitude Around

By | Communication, Self Reflection | 3 Comments

“All that you achieve and all that you fail to achieve is the direct result of your own thoughts.” -James Allen Most everyone has experienced a bad attitude in their relationship. Believe it or not, there are ways you can turn this negativity around. After all, we aren’t born with bad attitudes – they are developed in our minds over time. With effort, we can protect ourselves against the bad attitude disease. There is no simple procedure to eliminating bad attitudes forever, but there are ways you can take a negative attitude and nip it in the bud. Today, we…

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