5 Efforts Men Should Make In Their Relationships To Make Them Stronger
Every man desires a significant other with whom he can share his life. Having a supportive wife or girlfriend by your side makes all the difference in the world. However, even the best relationships have issues, many of them directly attributed to the differences between men and women. Ensure your bond with your lady remains strong, fresh, and a truly mutual partnership with the following five tips:
1. Don’t leave your dishes by the sink.
Blogger Matt titled his viral post “She Divorced Me Because I Left Dishes By The Sink.” Obviously, his ex-wife did not actually end the marriage because of a dirty cup in the kitchen, but only in hindsight did he realize the larger issue here: love and respect for his partner. It may seem trivial, yes, but that’s irrelevant. He does not have to understand her logic, merely care enough to do something simple that holds great meaning for her. He spends three seconds cleaning up after yourself and she feels validated. Everybody wins.
Women want- make that need- to feel heard. Listen to what she’s saying and be able to extract the deeper meaning. Better yet anticipate her requests before she has to verbalize them.
2. Laughter is the best medicine.
Paging Captain Obvious. Humor is good. People love to laugh. It’s therapeutic and healing for the soul. Yet this does not mean you have to put on your class clown outfit and constantly have a punchline at the ready.
Consider the humor- and freedom- of not taking yourself too seriously. It’s okay to laugh at yourself. In fact, it’s encouraged. Don’t be so uptight or cave to the pressure of having the weight of the world on your shoulders. Be silly. Let loose. This exudes a quiet confidence which is irresistibly appealing.
3. Communication is key.
Remember the dirty dishes? Encourage your partner to speak up. You are not a mind reader. If you’ve never lived with her how are you to know that she finds wet towels on the floor intolerable? Show her the same respect. Everyone comes with habits and quirks and part of being in a successful relationship involves learning how to navigate these.
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It’s easy enough to tell her that you prefer to mow the lawn instead of hiring the kid down the street. But what about those difficult conversations about more intense topics? Face them head on- with love, respect, and patience. Share yourself and listen to her. Don’t just hear, truly listen.
4. Remember the theory of evolution.
If you’re pushing 40 and still view the world as you did when you were 20…Houston, we have a problem. As people grow and learn they evolve. The same goes for relationships. Don’t panic if faced with change. Embrace it. Roll with the punches. Adjust to a ‘new normal’ if necessary. One of the absolute best parts of being in a relationship is that you’re not in the bunker getting shelled alone.
Keep your wife in the know. Are you anticipating a change at work? Clue her in and work through it together. Encourage her to grow as a person and pursue her own hobbies and interests.
5. Stabilize your environment.
Alan Bishop writes of the importance of stabilizing his environment. To illustrate this point he draws a Venn Diagram comprised of three circles overlapping in the middle. One circle is self, the second Wife, and the third comprises of his family life [wife and children. All of these circles must be symbiotic. No one circle can dominate. Every circle must receive equal care and love though it becomes inevitable that at certain times certain circles require additional effort.
Taking it a step further, consider this a directive to stabilize yourself. If you’re not healthy and happy, how can you expect to have successful relationships with others? Drink less. Exercise more. Eat fresh foods. Get adequate sleep.
Nobody expects you to magically think like a woman. Yet with these tricks, you can be a loving and supportive partner attuned to her needs. When she sees you are sincerely making an effort and fighting for the relationship- taking risks- she will reciprocate.
