Relationships
10 great tips for surviving challenging moments in relationships
While it can be tempting to turn tail and run when the going gets tough, studies have shown time and time again that taking a deep breath and trying to work through your issues gives you the best chance of salvaging and maintaining your relationship. Here are our top 10 tips for working it through when times get tough.
- Remove your emotions from the equation – It may be tricky but an emotionally charged conversation never ends well. If you’re feeling furious, try and put a pause on things till you’ve calmed down.
- Forget right or wrong – Delegating parties as “right” or “wrong” is a great way of ensuring arguments remain unresolved. It’s important to bot take responsibility for your actions.
- Walk the high road – Work out what works best for you as an individual couple. It’s all about equality and contentment in your own circumstances.
- Be humble, always – We all make mistakes. Reminding or gloating over the ones your partner makes never ends well.
- Agree to disagree – A healthy relationship will often have topics where each party holds a differing view to the other. This is normal and can be a great vehicle for discussion. It’s important though that you both value and respect the others opinion, even if it differs from your own.
- Be mindful of others – Difficult conversations are best held in private, away from those whose input may be unhelpful.
- Consider all your options – If you’re facing an issue as a couple, remember to consider all your options for a resolution. This often requires some brainstorming and partnering together to find a positive solution.
- Don’t rush into a decision – If you’re struggling to reconcile what you think with certain actions, take a step back and sleep on it.
- Stay optimistic – Approaching a discussion positively can make the process much easier.
- Review and consolidate – When you reach a conclusion, reaffirm it a few times before agreeing to move on.
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