Ways To Improve Your Relationship And Marriage

I once worked with a couple who truly struggled at releasing past habits. One of the partners really had a hard time with name-calling. They would use derogatory and hurtful names as a way of pushing buttons. The partner receiving the names would feel hurt, belittled, humiliated, and in many ways scared as to how the name-calling may impact the future of the relationship.

I trust that no one wants a long-term relationship with someone who speaks to them in a negative fashion.

Our past habits are often tied to some sort of experience or event in our life. Something may have taken place during your adolescent years that impacts you today. Or an experience in the relationship could be the catalysis. The reason for name-calling.

In this example, the couple had a rough history. A history filled with up and down cycles that continued to hurt the relationship. Name-calling started as a cry for attention. Then to push buttons. And finally, it hit home, as a habit. A learned behavior that slid past the tongue without recognition.

If you are experiencing conflict or difficulties in your relationship due to past habits or issues, let’s start a plan.

The exercise below is aimed to help overcome the negative habit of hurtful talk such as name-calling. As you gain skill in understanding how to utilize the step-by-step sequence, you can focus on personal difficulties impacting your relationship.

The plan starts with the overall message of commitment.

Actions To Improve Conflict Resolution In Your Relationship

To Improving Conflict In The Relationship: Step 1

Are you committed to your relationship?
Are you committed to your partner?

The answers to these questions should be YES.

Yes, I am committed to my relationship.

Yes, I am committed to my partner.

The reason that we have spent time on commitment is to incline your ability to work on the relationship. The more you think about being active and willingly committed the more likely you are to follow through.

To Improving Conflict In The Relationship: Step 2

What is the past habit that continues to hurt your relationship?
Why do you do it?
What do you think provokes or triggers it?
How does the past habit make you feel?
How does the past habit make your partner feel?
How does your partner generally react to the past habit?

To Improving Conflict In The Relationship: Step 3

If you have found the origin of the past habit, great. If not, it’s okay. I do want to continue to encourage you to search for it. Identifying the origin can shed light as to why you do it. In the end, you are working together to make your relationship a priority.

Understanding why we do something leads to not doing it anymore.

To Improving Conflict In The Relationship: Step 4

Sit down with your partner and engage in the following questions:

What can you say in place of the past habit? In place of the hurt name-calling…

Ask your partner for replacement terms to use.

The goal is to create a new habit. A new way of communicating with your partner that is healthy, loving, and supportive.

It is very important to remember that old habits die hard. This means that you are going to struggle with using healthy habits versus unhealthy. It is important for your partner to be involved in the process as they will be your support system through the good and bad.

There will be days or occasions in which you will slip up. It is vital to focus on the commitment you have for your relationship and partner.

To Improving Conflict In The Relationship: Step 5

In this step, we focus on ways in which your partner can support you during the process of releasing unhealthy habits and taking on healthier ones. As well as strategies to increase your ability to utilize healthy habits. Click here to check out an additional reading focused on positive phrases to further support your relationship.

Common ways your partner can support you in your relationship:

When you slip up, your partner can be there to support you. Support can be displayed in any of the following ways:

Accepting that mistakes will be made.
Acknowledging that this is a new learning process and mistakes are bound to take place.
Reflecting on the occasion that took place and working together to find a healthier way.
When healthy habits are used. Reward your partner by expressing how the healthy option makes you feel versus the unhealthy.

Strategies to increase your ability to utilize healthy habits in your relationship:

Give yourself a few reminders on your phone of the goals you are attempting to achieve.
Place sticky notes in your room or around the house to help you stay on task.
Section out time each day to reflect on the changes you are working to make.
Review the progress.
Spend time once per week reflecting with your partner on progress made. Focus on how the progress is in any way, small or large, supporting the relationship and each other.

Over time you and your partner will notice the beautiful impact of change. Healthy habits will replace those that create disconnect and tension. Commitment will continue to grow and empower the relationship.