Do you sometimes wish your partner acted, thought, or did things more like you? Instead of being frustrated by your differences, it would be a better use of your time and energy to acknowledge your partner’s strengths and find ways they can benefit your relationship.
Everyone has areas of natural talent and areas where they are weaker. However, our society mistakenly emphasizes that we need to excel in most areas, be “well-rounded” or – at the very least – competent at most things. But since humans are meant to be in relationships with others, we really don’t have to be good at everything, or even good at most things. As humans, we’ve always lived in communities. We are interdependent: connected with and relying on one another. Instead of trying so hard to be good at everything, we should focus on using our own strengths in conjunction with our partner’s. Read More
Can You Avoid Impending Arguments? How Mindfulness Can Help
You can tell there’s a storm brewing in your relationship. Your partner looks angry – you can see it. You know he/she is getting close to the boiling point. What do you do? Do you leave (or run!)? Do you brace yourself for the fight that’s coming? Do you attack first?
You don’t have to do any of these things. Instead, by being mindful of what’s going on with your partner, you (and your partner) can learn to avoid arguments.
Yes – by being mindful you can help avoid fights and diffuse tension. How? Mindfulness can be used to help bring your attention to the situation before it escalates.
The easiest way to bring your partner’s attention to what you see is to simply comment on what you’re noticing on the outside. You might say: Read More