==== ==== For more great marriage saving tips and advice, visit: www.revitaliseyourmarriage.com ==== ==== Communication and Marriage - The Key Elements If we lived in a perfect, peaceful and stress-free world, and the relationship we have with our partners closely matched the love, passion and intensity of Romeo and Juliet's, then communication would be utterly effortless. A breeze. You and your spouse would instinctively just get each other at all times. Well unfortunately, life can be difficult; we have things like jobs to go to, people to look after, traffic to crawl through and after a long day of enduring such events, the last thing we want to do (or can do effectively) is communicate. Even if it is with the person we love. To an extent, this is no fault of our own and these types of scenarios are to be expected. However, when the communication channels come to a halt like this on a regular basis, negative habits can be developed and this can become the default setting. So in truth, no matter how strong your marriage is, communication doesn't always come naturally. It is something where a conscious effort is needed to be made for it to work well. You can start seeing improvements quickly by being aware of each other's moods. For instance, some of us are grouchy when we've just woken up whilst others are early birds. If you and your partner are one and the other, try and respect that. Another common time of the day to watch out for is when we just get back from work. I don't know about you, but I just need half an hour to chill when I return after a long day. It's recognising each other's preferences which can go a long way in avoiding a communication breakdown and unnecessary arguments. Furthermore, it is very easy to misinterpret what another person is saying. They could be making a matter of fact statement and it might come across as cold or insensitive. For this reason, it can be essential to be aware of what you are saying, and how it may be interpreted. As well as this, focusing your attention on the person who's talking is also essential. It can be tempting to cut a person short at times and share with them how you feel, but often it's necessary to take a step back and just listen. Once they have finished, respond by sharing with them your understanding of what they have just said. For instance, you could say 'it sounds to me like you're having difficulties with such and such. That must feel frustrating'. This shows that you have actually taken on board their issues and feelings and have provided them with support, which they will be grateful and appreciative of.
The true challenge of a relationship and skill by which your abilities to communicate are measured is being able to 'put yourself in their shoes' and see things from your partner's perspective. If you are newlyweds, this won't be easy, but as you both learn to develop this skill and increase your awareness of each other, it will become more intuitive. You'll be more on the same wavelength.
==== ==== For more great marriage saving tips and advice, visit: www.revitaliseyourmarriage.com ==== ====