How to communicate better in your relationship. We all crave connections with others especially within intimate relationships with a partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband or wife. In fact this is where we expect to find the most connection. When this doesn’t happen it leaves feelings of isolation and misunderstanding. This can then lead to arguments with our significant other.
When arguments occur within an intimate relationship, it can lead to even poorer communication or no communication at all. This happens due to the negative feelings that arise because of the connection that was lost or felt missing. Communication is a necessity in a happy and healthy relationship. Communication on a deeper level not just small talk about how your day went. Here are my top tips to improving communication with your significant other.
First, learn how to listen as well as talk.
Often people think they are a good listener because they respond with a socially appropriate response and behave in the socially accepted way but think about it; are you listening to understand them or just listening to respond? People want to feel understood more than they want to be given a socially accepted response.
Understand the true meaning of communication in a relationship.
Communication in a relationship is not the same as communicating with a friend, colleague or the postman. Communication within a relationship is about building a connection in order to fulfil your partners needs. It’s not just about being polite and making small-talk. It’s about allowing your partner to feel heard, supported and showing them that you truly care about them the most.
The first thing you can do in this scenario is be honest with yourself about the connection feeling different. Talk about how you can reignite that connection with your partner to begin the journey of improved communication.
Recognise what each of your communication styles are.
Chances are, you naturally expect that your partner will communicate in the same way you do which can cause friction between you both. There are 4 different styles of communication; passive, aggressive, passive aggressive and assertive. If you are wondering which the healthy one is, it’s assertive. This is the style adopted by those who are in touch with how they feel and know how to communicate those feelings effectively.
These are just a few tips to get you started on the journey to improving your relationship. Hopefully it has begun to help you see how to communicate better in your relationship. If you would like some more guidance, book a FREE telephone consultation with our expert coach here. How