Getting the love you want
Valentine’s Day
can be both a blessing and a curse. Some couples cherish the
opportunity for romance — flowers, chocolates, candle-lit dinner — while
others brace themselves for disappointment and
date-night disaster.
Part of the problem is
expectations.
Maybe your standards are unrealistically high, or maybe they’re kept
secret (leaving your partner with absolutely no hope of meeting them). A
bigger problem is that most couples don’t know what they have a right
to expect from their spouse.
What I really wish for you this Valentine’s Day is love —
the love you want. Here’s what that might look like and how to get it.
-
Gratitude
Too often we focus on what isn’t rather than what is, what’s wrong versus what’s right.
There’s a highly useful therapeutic paradigm called "Positive
Psychology": It builds optimism and health by focusing on strengths. We
could all take a page from that book. Dwell on what’s wonderful about
your partner. (Psst, bonus, you’ll see more of it.)
-
Affection
If there’s a magic bullet for marriages this is it:
hugs.
Why? Physical closeness is the first casualty in busy couples. Bridge
that gap by embracing three times a day. A hug accomplishes in five
seconds what it can take hours to create without the benefit of touch —
closeness. Our need for attachment is well studied and documented. And
we don’t grow out of that primal necessity.
The greatest gift you can give your spouse is to fulfill the basic human requirement for physical closeness.
-
Communication
A 2004 survey found that one of the most common reasons couples
seek therapy is problematic communication. Learning to put down our
dukes and
have real discussions
is critical. Also essential is scheduling regular catch-up sessions
with your spouse. That means 30 minutes of talking every day, and date
night every week!
pect
John Gray, author of that seminal book
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,
famously wrote, “When men and women are able to respect and accept
their differences then love has a chance to blossom." You didn’t marry
your clone. Respecting — even appreciating —
each other’s differences is the basis for a partnership that is full of grace and good humour.
-
Respect
John Gray, author of that seminal book
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,
famously wrote, “When men and women are able to respect and accept
their differences then love has a chance to blossom." You didn’t marry
your clone. Respecting — even appreciating —
each other’s differences is the basis for a partnership that is full of grace and good humour.
Harmony
We all fight. Even
the best marriages
have conflict. But harmonious marriages have a secret weapon — a pause
button. Harmonious couples have mastered the art of cease and desist. In
her book
Hold Me Tight, marriage therapist Sue Johnson offers
the following insights on defusing “demon dialogues” (you know, those
explosive arguments that seem to cycle through your relationship as if
on a loop):
Declare a cease-fire: Just stop, at least for now.
De-escalate: Move from “you” statements to “we” statements — “we keep doing this don’t we?”
Own it: Own your feelings and encourage your partner to own his. What’s
really bugging you?
Unite: Come together as a team — as allies not adversaries, as Johnson puts it.
pect
John Gray, author of that seminal book
Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,
famously wrote, “When men and women are able to respect and accept
their differences then love has a chance to blossom." You didn’t marry
your clone. Respecting — even appreciating —
each other’s differences is the basis for a partnership that is full of grace and good humour.
Harmony
We all fight. Even
the best marriages
have conflict. But harmonious marriages have a secret weapon — a pause
button. Harmonious couples have mastered the art of cease and desist. In
her book
Hold Me Tight, marriage therapist Sue Johnson offers
the following insights on defusing “demon dialogues” (you know, those
explosive arguments that seem to cycle through your relationship as if
on a loop):
Declare a cease-fire: Just stop, at least for now.
De-escalate: Move from “you” statements to “we” statements — “we keep doing this don’t we?”
Own it: Own your feelings and encourage your partner to own his. What’s
really bugging you?
Unite: Come together as a team — as allies not adversaries, as Johnson puts it.
No comments:
Post a Comment