(1.) DON’T MAKE ANY RASH DECISIONS
Many people enter a particularly rough patch in their relationship—an awful fight or transgression, a gruelling and unspoken sex drought, a dysfunctional pattern that has repeated itself one too many times—and begin to head for the exit. But that’s giving up too soon, whether out of fear, frustration, or laziness. The truth is, many couples really can work through their difficulties if they’re both willing to put in the effort.
“Absent any abuse—substance, alcohol, physical, verbal—I think we have a lot to learn by staying and trying to make things work. We’re going to carry any unresolved issues or work into our next relationship [anyway],” ”When you have looked at your part of the problem and done your work to change (and feel good about that) and you’re still unhappy—that may be time to end the relationship. Avoid the tendency to make rash or sudden decisions in a difficult moment.”
(2) Get brutally honest
Don’t sit around trying to fix your relationship all by yourself—it just won’t work. Get your partner involved if they aren’t already: Talk to them honestly about your concerns, and let them know that you’re contemplating whether the relationship can really work. Don’t threaten them with a breakup, but make sure they truly understand how seriously you’re taking these issues.
“Try not to blindside them, especially if you haven’t shared those concerns before. Give them a chance to change, “Be kind but totally honest. This is the time when there’s nothing to lose.”
(3) SEEK THERAPY
Get some professional help! It is important you get an outside expert’s perspective, someone who understands the common pitfalls couples fall into and has experience helping them out of them. Experts suggest even going alone if your partner resists the idea of therapy—although attending together is ideal, the insights will be valuable either way.
(4) UNDERSTAND HOW YOU’RE CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM
Beware the trap of blame. You can be upset with something your partner is doing, but at the same time, make sure you’re taking time to seriously reflect on the ways you’ve also contributed to the dynamic, negative energy, and problems between you.
“Most people are clear on what their partner is doing that is causing the problems but not clear on what they are doing,” Paul tells mbg. “You take yourself with you, which means that you will take with you into your next relationship any unhealed patterns that are your contribution to the problems.”
If the problem is less about something either of you is doing to that hurts the other and more about a difference in views or lifestyle, you should both acknowledge this difference—respectfully and without resentment—and consider whether a compromise is reasonable or achievable. (It may not be, and that’s OK.)
(5) FOCUS ON HEALING YOURSELF
This is separate from just recognizing your own contribution to your relationship’s troubled waters. This is about recognizing the inner work you have left to do on yourself.
“Many people who leave are no happier than they were in the relationship,” Experts say. “If you have been making your partner responsible for your feelings and you are blaming your partner for your unhappiness, then it likely isn’t time to leave. You have your own inner work to do.”
Oftentimes, many of the problems that emerge in our lives are directly related to underlying mental or emotional struggles we ourselves have been dealing with all along,: “If you ignore your feelings, judge yourself, turn to various addictions to numb your feelings, or make your partner responsible for your feelings of worth and safety, then you are rejecting and abandoning yourself, and you have inner work to do to learn to love yourself. People tend to treat us the way we treat ourselves, so focus on how you are treating yourself rather than how your partner is treating you.”
During this trying time, you need to love yourself now more than ever. What can you do to manifest more self-love right now?
(6) RECOGNIZE YOUR PARTNER’S PAIN
It’s easy to fall into the trap of ruminating over your relationship and getting caught up in your own difficult emotions around it, but relationship experts emphasize the importance of taking time to see things from your partner’s perspective. You’re not the only one who’s struggling right now. Right now, the person you love most is also going through something very painful. Can you find a way to show up and be there for them?
“Turning toward your partner and recognizing their pain can take you out of the attack-defend mode that many unproductive fights take on,” “Remembering you are on the same team and [that] the only thing you are fighting for is the relationship to thrive is key. When someone ‘wins’ an argument, that means that someone has to be a loser—is that how you want to see your partner or have them see themselves?”
(7) SPEND SOME TIME REFLECTING ON THE GOOD
As you’re working to rebuild your relationship, remember to take a breath from focusing on all the bad and spend some time reflecting on the good parts. What are some of your fondest memories together? What things about your partner bring you joy, inspire you, or amaze you? Don’t spend all your conversations talking about the heavy stuff, make a point of trying to have some fun and ease, too.
“Tap into the reasons you got together in the first place—access that love—but also know you can’t go back,” she says. “Commit to a process with this person to bring your relationship to a new, good place.”
Things were good, once. They can be good again. It may never look exactly the same as it did before; it may very well become even better.
(8) SAY “THANK YOU” MORE OFTEN
Don’t roll your eyes! When your relationship feels like it’s falling apart, it’s easy to forget all the good things your partner brings to your life in spite of the ongoing tensions. One simple, ongoing way to make sure you’re focusing on the good is to simply make a point of expressing gratitude to your partner each day.
“Instead of taking for granted the things that your partner does on a daily basis to make your life together easier, better, run more efficiently—acknowledge and thank them.” “This will strengthen your ability to appreciate one [another] and create an atmosphere where you understand how you collaborate in many ways. It may also inspire you to do more for one another as the positive feedback that comes in creates a positive and more supportive environment.”
Say “thank you” out loud when your partner does or says something loving. Convey how grateful you are to them for the work they’re putting into this process, for the coffee they brewed you this morning, for picking up the kids after school, for the peck on the cheek they gave you before heading out the door. These words of appreciation, together with small acts of affection, can begin to rejuvenate the positive energy in your relationship.
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