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spouse Archives - Page 5 of 7 - SYMBIS Assessment

Mar 21
Love10

Building a Shared Vision in Your Marriage: 3 Questions to Answer

By Communication, Self Reflection, Time 4 Comments

Do you and your spouse set aside time once a year to plan for the next 12 months? Making time together for planning, intention, and strategic thought as you move into the future together will bind you closer together and give you shared goals to work toward as a couple. We’ve found that there’s great value in pausing to talk about the direction you’re headed going forward. The New Year’s celebration might be behind us already, but you don’t have to wait until next January to build a shared vision with your spouse. It’s never too late to dream and…

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Mar 14
Love70

5 Ways to Cope with a Passive-Aggressive Spouse

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection 354 Comments

Passive aggression is a common behavior pattern that arises in all kinds of relationships. It’s always harmful, but in marriages, it’s especially painful. Passive-aggressive behavior can be a simple as a dishonest, “I’m fine,” followed by a period of pouting and unpleasant behavior (slamming cabinets and drawers, angrily manhandling items around the house, giving you the silent treatment, etc.). Or it can go as deep as deliberate sabotage between spouses. Luckily, these harmful patterns can be overcome with observation, self-examination, and the willingness to get help. And if you think your spouse might be passive-aggressive, there are ways to cope…

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Mar 07
Love28

Dealing With Resentment in Your Marriage

By Communication, Conflict 128 Comments

One of the most difficult issues to face in your marriage is the realization that one of you resents the other. This can be a devastating revelation, but it doesn’t mean you can’t overcome these intimacy-killing emotions. Resentment tends to arise in marriage when one spouse is either knowingly or unknowingly taking advantage of the other–or taking the other for granted. Habitual poor behaviors or unhealthy patterns feed resentment. Some common issues that cause resentment between spouses include: Habitual selfish behaviors Being “married” to a job Favoring one of your children over the other(s) Spending too much time with one…

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Feb 28
Love17

4 Things to Do When Your Spouse Self-Sabotages

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection 9 Comments

Whether your spouse is pursuing a career promotion, a job change, or a personal goal, it’s incredibly painful to watch them set themselves up for failure. We want to help, so we throw ourselves into offering advice and assistance…only to realize we can’t change the situation. While we all self-sabotage at one time or another, some individuals seem to be caught in a pattern. If this sounds like your spouse, you’re not alone. Self-sabotage is easiest to identify when your expectations (or in this case, your spouse’s) don’t align with your efforts—or the outcome. At the core, self-sabotage is rooted…

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Feb 21
Love11

Help! My Spouse is a Flirt! What Can I Do?

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection 55 Comments

When you and your spouse first met, you were captivated by their charming personality. Maybe he made you feel like a princess, or maybe she made you feel like you were the only man in the world. It felt great to receive so much focused attention from someone who quickly became so special to you–and such a big part of your life. Now, you’re married and building a life together, but lately you’ve noticed that your spouse has begun to pay that same kind of flirtatious attention–the kind you thought was reserved only for you–to members of the opposite sex….

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Jan 24
Love9

6 Snow Day Activities to Enjoy with Your Spouse

By Self Reflection, Time 13 Comments

For many of us in the United States, wintertime is in full swing right now. This time of year, it’s not unusual for many areas to see snow…and, in some places, a little bit of snow can mean a lot of time spent together at home, waiting for the roads to thaw. If you and your spouse find yourselves with an unexpected snow-day-in (or two…or three) this winter, there are plenty of ways you can create joyful memories with one another during your downtime. 1. Play in the snow There’s nothing quite like putting day-to-day responsibilities on hold and reconnecting…

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Nov 22
Love38

3 Ways to Overcome Emotional Distance in Your Marriage

By Communication, Conflict, Self Reflection, Time 27 Comments

Lately, you feel like you just can’t connect with your spouse. Maybe he’s not listening to you, or maybe she’s lost interest in activities you used to enjoy together. You might fight a lot—or avoid communicating to minimize conflict. Perhaps you feel like the kids have monopolized your or your spouse’s time to the point that you aren’t getting quality time together anymore. Whatever the case, lately, you’re feeling more and more disappointed in your relationship with your spouse. You’re lonely and discontent, and you’re wondering whether the two of you might be happier apart, rather than staying married and…

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Oct 25
Love35

5 Ways to Be a Good Listener for Your Spouse

By Communication 63 Comments

Opening your heart to your spouse—and nurturing theirs—requires listening well. With so many different issues, obligations, devices, and people pulling at us from every direction, it can be difficult to slow down and truly listen to one another. Listening can be pleasant, but sometimes it’s downright hard. Sometimes, you might want to tune out and lose yourself in your favorite pastime instead—or dive into the list of to-do items you still need to cross off before the day is over. But to have a healthy, thriving marriage, it’s critical to truly listen to your spouse with empathy and generosity. Today,…

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Oct 18
Love28

Self-Esteem Boosters: 4 Ways to Affirm Your Spouse

By Communication 14 Comments

Building one another’s self-esteem is an essential component of a happy marriage, but it can be easy to fall into a rut where we stop affirming one another in meaningful ways. We might find that we’ve been taking our spouse for granted—or maybe we’ve just been thinking nice things about them that we haven’t been verbalizing. The truth is, we live and die by encouragement. Mark Twain once said, “I can live for two months on a good compliment,” and we’d venture to say that’s a true statement for all of us. It’s easy to have admiring thoughts about your…

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Sep 27
Love19

4 Ways to Support Your Spouse’s Creativity

By Communication, Time 9 Comments

Creative pursuits add an exciting dimension to our lives. Music, theatre, art, writing, dance–these are just a few of the creative outlets you or your spouse might enjoy. But if you’re not particularly creative, what are some ways to support your spouse’s passions? 1. Show interest in their creative pursuits. Your spouse’s passion for creativity adds meaning, joy, and purpose to their life–and it can do the same for you. Whether your spouse is painting, sculpting, dancing, writing, singing, playing music, or any number of other creative pursuits, it’s important to show interest in what they’re creating. Is your spouse…

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