Do you and your spouse disagree on politics, social issues, or other deeply-held beliefs?
As individuals, we’re deeply impacted by how we see the world around us. Maybe we’re passionate about certain issues or causes, and we don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with our spouse. Sometimes, these beliefs and opinions could be totally at odds.
We’ve all experienced and observed heated conversations and disagreements about political and social issues. These exchanges can leave us feeling upset and depleted. If you’ve found yourself in that position with your spouse, it can be incredibly uncomfortable.
The question is, can spouses with different political beliefs actually stay married?
The short answer is yes. It’s absolutely possible for a married couple with clashing political or social beliefs to stay happily married. However, you’ll need to put careful and intentional work into your relationship to keep it healthy.
Let’s talk about a few important steps you can take to nurture your marriage, even if you and your spouse disagree on big issues.
Respect One Another’s Stance
You and your spouse can totally disagree on hot-button issues and still have mutual respect for each other. It’s so important to show respect, regardless of the opinions your spouse holds (barring beliefs that are immoral, unethical, or cause harm, of course). It’s possible to value one another’s perspectives and listen to understand each other.
Don’t shut each other down, and don’t try to convert one another to your “side.” Instead, give your spouse the unconditional love and acceptance that you expect from them. Maintain a spirit of openness in your relationship so you can learn from one another.
Enjoy the Debate – Or Drop the Tug-of-War
Some people love to debate with one another. Maybe both of you enjoy connecting over heated discussions and inflammatory topics. If that’s the case, set healthy boundaries and continue to offer one another a friendly challenge from time to time.
On the other hand, one or both of you might not enjoy clashing. If not, drop the rope and stop the tug-of-war game. You don’t have to agree on everything to have a happy marriage, and you certainly don’t have to live in a state of tension over it.
Consider where you might sharpen one another, as iron sharpens iron. Gain valuable perspective from your conversations. Let your disagreements create a learning experience for you, and choose to keep loving each other in spite of your differences.
Learn How to Fight “the Good Fight”
Navigating conflict in a healthy way means you and your spouse might need to learn how to fight well. If that’s the case, our book, The Good Fight, could be a helpful resource for you. When handled well, conflict can actually bring the two of you closer together.
All couples fight and disagree from time to time. Research shows us that the happiest married couples know how to resolve conflict effectively. In other words, they use their differences and disagreements to form a stronger bond.
Disagreements over political and social matters can set the stage for frequent conflict if not managed well. If you want to create more peace in your marriage and keep those disagreements from derailing it, The Good Fight just might be the book for you. Pick up your copy here to take a deep-dive into effective, innovative ideas to help you transform your disagreements into passion and joy.
Do you and your spouse disagree on difficult, complex, or controversial topics? How do you navigate your differences? Leave us a comment and let us know.
