Category

Communication

Oct 23
0

Five Ways to Encourage Your Spouse to Be Empathetic

By | Communication, Marriage, Relationships | No Comments

It’s no secret that empathy takes work. It’s all too common in relationships for spouses to feel a lack of empathy from each other. If you feel like your spouse isn’t seeing an important part of you, then it’s time to walk in each other’s shoes. Learning how to see all sides of your spouse will mean a great deal to your relationship! How can you encourage your spouse to be more empathetic? Today, we are sharing tips that have proven helpful for couples who are trying to encourage their spouse to become more empathetic. 1. Share Your Highs and…

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Oct 16
5

Four Tips to Alleviate Chore Wars

By | Communication, Conflict, Marriage, Relationships | No Comments

Chores tend to be a frequent and hot source of arguments in relationships. Why? Because chores are there – day in and day out. For many of us, chores aren’t on the top of our to-do list, which makes arguing about household duties an easy thing to do. Couples enter marriage with unconscious expectations, the key is to communicate these expectations and determine together who does what. As your lives grow and get more complicated (children, career shifts, etc.) the household responsibilities become more complicated as well. Chores will never disappear, but your disagreements about them can. Here are four…

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Sep 11
6

How to Put Good Communication Into Practice

By | Communication, Marriage | 4 Comments

Let’s face it, communication in marriage can sometimes be tough. Even if we are great communicators, remembering to put our communication tools into practice each day is its own challenge. The follow through on practicing your communication skills effectively is what counts. It comes down to choosing to be a good communicator. Communication roadblocks can feel detrimental in a relationship, but they can be avoided by following a few simple steps. Here are three ways you can intentionally put your communication skills into practice each and every day. 1. Practice fundamentals Going back to basic fundamentals can help with a…

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Sep 04
2

How to Cope with a Tenacious Teen

By | Communication, Conflict, Parenting | 7 Comments

Have you ever felt desperate trying to cope with your tenacious teen? If so, you’re not alone. Teens more than any other age group feel out of control. Deep down, they aren’t quite sure who they are and generally struggle to take possession of their own lives. Achieving a sense of identity is one of the major developmental tasks of a teenager. Somewhere between the ages of twelve and twenty adolescents are forced to choose who they are; a formidable and scary task. Because of this force to make up their minds, they are compelled to control, and can become…

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Aug 28
11

Two Rules for Cultivating Ownership During a Fight

By | Communication, Conflict, Marriage | 6 Comments

We’ve said it time and time again; good fighters own their proverbial piece of the conflict pie. They know that criticism is for cowards. They are also aware that blame and shame never lead to positive outcomes. Good fighters take a bold step and admit when they’ve made a mistake. In any fight, it’s important to understand that it’s not who is wrong but what is wrong that counts. And good fighters know this. If you are lacking the tools you need to own your piece of the pie, then this post is for you. There are two rules for…

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Aug 07
1

Tips for Taking Care of Unfinished Business

By | Communication | 2 Comments

Every marriage needs a little tune-up now and then. Perhaps things aren’t working as smoothly as they once were, and relational residue is building up. When kinks come up in conversations that aren’t resolved, they don’t just disappear. In today’s busy world conversations are often cut off by interrupting kids, work, schedule conflicts, and much more. When you are having an important conversation or a disagreement and don’t resolve the issue at hand, this undoubtedly will become excess weight you carry around. Unfinished business in a relationship is like a song that starts the first few notes and then suddenly…

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Jul 31
0

How To Support Your Spouse After a Traumatic Event

By | Communication, Marriage | 7 Comments

Those who have gone through a traumatic event can often develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The cause of PTSD varies greatly. It appears different in each person and can be the result of varying factors such as a traffic accident, encountering a life threatening or emotional event, experiencing the loss of a loved one, and so on. It may be hard to detect that your spouse is hurting. Physically they may seem okay, but something is troubled under the waters and deep within them. Often, people who suffer from PTSD don’t know how to connect words with their experience….

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Jul 03
2

Becoming a Step Parent: How to Ease into Your New Role

By | Communication, Marriage, Parenting | 4 Comments

It’s a gift to enter into a family with kids. The children are blessed to have so much love around them, and your heart is in such a great place to want to be a part of their life. You can never have too much love in a family! In some ways, the children will soak up this new relationship with you and will love having another parental figure in their life. However, there is another part to this equation. Change is sometimes a hard thing, especially for children. Children tend to struggle and show resistance when they are confronted…

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Jun 26
5

How to Overcome The Silent Treatment

By | Communication, Conflict, Marriage | 3 Comments

The silent treatment. Need we say more? Most of us have experienced this at one time or another – either as the giver or the receiver. Spouses can become out of synch; one is ready to tackle the issue, while the other has completely backed off to the point of silence. Regardless of who is the culprit, the silent treatment can be devastating and may feel like an impossible feud to handle. After all, silence makes no sound – but says so much. So what should you do when your spouse gives you the silent treatment? How should you respond?…

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Jun 19
3

The Importance of Emotional Self-Awareness

By | Communication, Self Reflection | 10 Comments

Controlling one’s emotions is not easy, but it can be done! Self-awareness is the ability to pull back and recognize the feeling you are having. When you have an emotional response and are able to bring it into your awareness, the chances of handling it appropriately improve. You can’t expect your awareness to magically appear, you need to will your awareness. The key is to decide with intention to be objective about your feelings. If you are not aware of your feelings and how to handle them, chances are you may be engulfed, suppressed, or resigned. Today, we are discussing…

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