Effective Ways to Communicate
One of the most important traits of a healthy relationship is being able to communicate effectively with your partner at any given time in any situation. If you find yourself running the other way when faced with conflict within your relationship, you need to reevaluate the way you communicate with your partner. Here are five ways you can communicate effectively with your loved one and lead you to a happy and successful relationship.
SMALL TALK
If you’re in a long-term relationship, you probably don’t have a small talk during your day because you know everything about each other already. However, small talk is extremely important to rekindle and communicate with each other about the little things in life. American psychoanalyst, Harry Stack Sullivan conducted an approach he calls ‘detailed inquiry’ in which John Gottman and Janice Driver researched further upon this concept with a group of married couples. They found that “the mundane and often fleeting moments” that are part of a couple’s lives have a greater impact on the health of their relationship than emotionally deep conversation.
You probably feel as though after 5 years of being in a relationship, you know all there is to possibly know about your partner however it’s one of the best ways of getting closer to your loved one and learning more about them. Genuinely asking your partner about the little details about their life allows them to open up and feel acknowledged that they are still a huge part of your life.
RUNNING ERRANDS TOGETHER
Doing little things in your daily life together increases your bond and can definitely have a healthy impact on your relationship. Doing things like grocery shopping and cooking together can increase a moment of intimacy. Communication definitely doesn’t only refer to words, they say actions speak louder than words and it absolutely applies in this situation.
FACE TO FACE
We live in an incredible world of technology where a date doesn’t have to knock on your door to pick you up anymore. Instead, a text message that says ‘I’m outside’ is enough. However, when it comes to healthy communication, face to face conversation is very significant. When you’re talking about an issue or situation that presents itself in your relationship, face to face conversation allows you both to see your partners’ reactions through facial expressions and body language. Face to face communication also allows you to observe each others’ attentiveness and level of engagement.
GO TO BED HAPPY
A popular rule of thumb when it comes to a happy and healthy relationship is not going to bed angry at your partner. It may sound cliche however it’s sound advice that has been passed on for years. The basic idea behind this advice is a lot of the things that couples argue about aren’t worth losing sleep over. Push towards a resolution by the end of the day because you should learn to let things go, especially things that are petty and small.
Holding onto resentment and having grudges within your relationship is highly discouraged. You definitely don’t need to be adding the stresses of your relationship on top of work, kids and any other thing in life that may be exhausting. Going to bed stress-free is healthy for your overall health as well as the health of your relationship.
We hope you’re able to work out any differences you may have in your relationship and use these tips to help strengthen your connection with your partner!
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