How To Improve Communication

One of the key ways to improve communication is to develop strong listening skills. Couples often fail to listen to what their partner has to say, interrupt and give the impression that no matter what is said they won’t change their mind. One trick to ensure that you have listened and you do understand is to repeat what you have heard. This will demonstrate that you have listened to what was said and by repeating it back you have the opportunity to comprehend and understand.

How often do we try and work through a problem and it’s only at the point we are explaining the issue to someone else does the magic light bulb switch on which enables us to come up with the answer. If you are taking an exam would you expect to know everything just by being told it once? For most people I would say not. We have to work at it and work at it hard.

No one ever said relationships would be easy it’s just another lesson we have to learn as we experience life but if you want to improve your relationship and make it even more special than it was before then you must put forth the effort. Relationship problems can lay heavy on your mind, become a burden and what was originally a small issue can develop into an insurmountable mountain.

If relationship concerns are beginning to weigh heavy on you, take a break and do something you enjoy preferably with your partner. If you can refocus your attention on the better things in life, day to day issues always seem that much smaller. Spending a little time together and enjoying each other's company could enable you and your partner to recapture some of the feelings that have been lost through constant arguing and miscommunication and help you regain a positive perspective on your relationship.

Just one last word of advice, when you are feeling down and feel you no longer want to improve your relationship and you want to give up,  just remember that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

If you believe you have financial issues now what do you think it will be like when you split your assets, if you feel you don’t have time to do things what will it be like when you are on your own or worse a single parent and if you feel lonely now how will you feel when every time you walk in your front door all’s you have is your own company. Now none of these thoughts have been aired to encourage you to stay in a bad relationship but rather to make you consider whether or not yours is as bad as you think.

You are the master of your own destiny and if you want to turn a bad relationship around you have the power at your fingertips.

It’s Not What You Say It Is How You Say It

It is how you say something that will ruin a relationship and not what you have to say. The wrong way is just to blurt out something that you know will aggravate or upset someone. The natural reaction is defensiveness.  You want the person you are trying to communicate with to be open and perceptive and in order to be able to achieve this, your timing and approach has to be right.

Every individual is different what will work with one person won’t necessarily work with another and with some people all you can do is sew the seed and then let them walk away and work it out for themselves.

I know a guy that never listens to anyone. He always feels that he is right no matter the circumstances. He operates with an individualistic attitude and has no concept of being a team player.  Traditional approaches and method of reasoning just don’t work and but all you can do is plant the seed of thought which eventually develops into his own acceptable idea.

Given people’s individuality you need to learn what the right approach is for you in your relationship. First, you need to make sure your timing is right. Never start a discussion if you don’t have time to finish it.  Don’t insist on a debate when someone is leaving for work, dealing with the kids or just relaxing in front of their favorite TV program. If the timing seems to never be right ask the question ‘when would it be a good time for us to just sit down and talk?’. Secondly, don’t allow yourself to appear agitated either in what you say or how you say it. Body language can just as easily put your partner on the defensive as what you say to them. Even if your partner is vying for a fight do not react to it.

Remember, the first golden rule, approaching defensive with defensive is a sure way to failure.