If anyone ever tells you that relationships are easy, don’t believe a word they say. Having a partner can be the best part of your life, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t come with problems. The trick to making things work is being able to identify potential issues and deal with them in a mature and sensible way. Here are five ways to feel closer to your partner to overcome problems easier.
There is no hope for real communication if you can’t learn to listen to your partner. Hearing what they say really isn’t the same as truly listening to them. You shouldn’t just be paying them the courtesy of being quiet when they are speaking, but actually make the effort to digest their words and work to adjust your behaviour and responses accordingly. The better listener you are, the quicker conflict can be resolved.
Sometimes your ego can get in the way of coming to a sensible compromise. You are not the only person who needs to be considered when in a relationship, so the key duo should be you and your partner, not you and your inflated ego! It’s important to learn that winning an argument and coming out on top isn’t always the thing that is good for you.
When you are going through positive periods, make sure to always vocalise the appreciation that you have for your partner. A lot of problems arise when one person doesn’t feel like they are being valued by the other, so showing your appreciation at every possible chance is a good way to make sure that that kind of tension doesn’t bubble away underneath the surface, waiting to explode at the first hint of an argument.
Don’t just focus on your words; focus on your body language too. It doesn’t matter what is coming out of your mouth if the way you are physically behaving and reacting doesn’t match up. Our bodies are the things that often give us away and allude to our true feelings, so always try to be as open and approachable in your body language as possible.
Of course, when something majorly wrong or upsetting happens in the relationship, then it is important to bring it up, but when it comes to small little things, it is best to try not to criticise all the time. You will start to feel less like a partner and more like a parent, and the constant nagging and negativity will only result in your partner becoming more closed off from you.