Here are some useful steps to practice so that your next conversation doesn't escalate.
We all sometimes react to things that our partner says or does (or to what he or she fails to say or do!) in a way that appears - when we look back on it after a little while - as disproportionate to the situation: shouting, losing control, blaming, and sometimes even throwing things, etc...
Although normal in all relationships, our emotional reactions benefit from being "monitored" and understood, so that we do not harm our relationship over time in a way that is beyond repair.
How much do you value being seen and heard? Do you really want a truly successful relationship? How important is it to have impact on others?
Then speak up!
Of course, for some people, that’s easier said than done. You might prefer to sky dive without a parachute than tell another person what’s really on your mind. But it is possible to develop an assertiveness connected to head and heart that clears the way for honest, empowered living-without being rude to others.
Whether it's strained or he's a mama's boy, your man's bond with his mother will explain a lot.
A mother and son's relationship directly affects yours and your partner's relationship, too; the way you handle certain situations as a couple, the way you make decisions, the way you manage your household.
Are there intolerable problems in your relationship?
Tips for solving intolerable relationship problems, plus four questions to ask before you break up.
Ending a low quality relationship can be associated with considerable improvement in our wellbeing. There is a point at which it makes good sense to get out of a bad relationship. This even holds true for children and divorce: Ending a highly conflicted marriage can be good for children in time (a good thing to remember when you're wondering if you should "stay together for the kids").
The Celtics cheerleaders. Image courtesy of SportsIllustrated.com.
Guess what this Boston guy did to his poor girlfriend's jeans in the heat of an argument...
The incident took place when the couple were in the victim's car after watching the Celtics lose Game 6 of their NBA conference final to the Miami Heat. The defendant, John McGuinness, was reportedly enraged after his girlfriend — whose name has not yet been released — received a text message from a male friend.
When it comes to parenting, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
One mom's review of the book "The Conflict," which attacks the attachment parenting trend.
When my daughter was born, I was determined to be a breastfeeding, co-sleeping, baby-wearing, cloth diapering, hippie mama. Nine months later, the only thing that'd stuck was the cloth diapers. I had just started my daughter on formula, she had been in the sling exactly five times and never once slept in her fancy little co-sleeper, which I returned to the store. And yes, I felt like a failure.
Your milkshake will NOT bring all the boys to the yard if you drink too many milkshakes.
Put down that burger! Why eating greasy fast food can have a negative effect on your relationship.
If the ugly, fattening effects of greasy fast food aren't enough to keep you away, consider this: In addition to its unhealthy side effects, eating junk can hurt your relationship.
What are the things you argue about? Where are the disagreements? The small resentments?
Do you argue over money? Will Money Ruin Your Relationship? [EXPERT] Are you fighting over sex? Do you have different ideas about how much time you should spend together and apart? Do you squabble over extended family and friends? Is one of you daring and reckless, while the other wants to play things safe? Does one of you want to be right all the time? Does one of you want to always be in control? Do you disagree about the fun activities in your life?
Why you should make an honest attempt to resolve issues with your significant other.
Remember the day you gazed into the eyes of your prospective partner and truly grasped that their excitement about you matched your fascination with them? You saw your idealized self reflected back to you in their soft smiling eyes. You were hooked like a fish attracted to a shiny new lure that caters to its most vulnerable characteristics.
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