Everyone can likely benefit from strategies on how to strengthen their marriage. Our marriages are one of the most significant relationships in our lives, so maintaining healthy interactions is vital to personal happiness.
Maintain humor
Humor can go a long way in diffusing tense conversations and redirecting the focus within your relationship. If you find yourself having a discussion with your spouse that seems to be escalating, or you begin snapping at one another, try interrupting the situation with some humor about an inside joke you share or recall a time you both couldn’t stop laughing. Doing so can quickly redirect a tense situation because laughter bonds people and deepens connections. Humor can act as an icebreaker and help couples not take life so seriously.
Back down and take a break
Another tip for deescalating arguments is to back down when conversations become heated and take a quick break before continuing. This break can help couples reengage their more rational thoughts which can become inaccessible when big emotions take over. Taking twenty minutes to calm down and reassess the conversation can also help couples avoid using hurtful words or passive aggressive attacks upon their spouse. Backing down in an argument can also signal to your partner that you are willing to compromise and work together.
Be kind
Kindness is often missing in unhappy marriages. A good tip to remember is try treating your spouse the way you would treat a stranger. Avoid making critical comments that are difficult for a spouse to forget hearing. Oftentimes people treat others throughout their day kindly, but release stress and frustration on their spouse once they are home. Avoid this by finding alternate ways to release tension. Bring positivity into your marriage and lead by example of how you want to be treated. We tend to gravitate towards those who treat us well, which strengthens trust and creates closer connections.
Work through your personal issues
Think about what issues you may have brought into the marriage that are affecting the way you interact with your spouse. Perhaps you tend to be a right fighter and every conversation turns into a battle ground. Try asking yourself why winning is more important than strengthening your marriage. Or maybe you become extremely agitated when your spouse does not meet certain expectations of yours – try exploring what your anger means or evaluate whether your expectations are unrealistic.
Serving clients in Tyler, Flint, Bullard, Chandler, Lindale, TX and surrounding areas. If you are experiencing a difficult time in your life and are interested in giving counseling a try, please contact me at 903-765-1743.
