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As a couples counselor, the phrase I often hear is, "I didn't sign up for this".
By Ashley Seeger
Last updated on Sep 03, 2023
Most of us can list (at least) ten traits we dislike — or even hate — about our spouses. Whether they are always late for appointments or they spend too much time working, the traits we hate the most usually become the focus of our worst fights, mainly because resolution feels impossible.
It's a vicious cycle.
Couples fight, both partners swear they will change the behavior, and then there is a honeymoon period where things are better. But then the behavior starts back up, and the fights begin again. As couples go through this cycle, the fights become worse, anger deepens and damaging things get said or done, leaving one or both spouses throwing their hands up in the air and saying "this is hopeless," feeling like the marriage is ending.
As a couples counselor, the phrase I often hear is, "I didn't sign up for this".
Four practical ways to stop being so annoyed by your husband
1. Recognize and acknowledge the anger.
When questioned, couples often admit they saw the same annoying traits before their engagement, but believed their partner would outgrow these "childish" behaviors. They are then shocked, disappointed and angry when things don't change, and the anger gets directed at the spouse.
Early in a relationship, partners may politely ask the other to stop the behavior, but after a few months or years of not seeing any change, this polite asking transforms into nagging, yelling and even shaming. Sometimes we look externally for solutions by asking friends or researching online to gather information in order to devise a plan of action to finally change this other person. If we don't see results, frustration increases because there are few things more aggravating than feeling unheard and powerless about something that impacts your life. We end up yelling and raging in an attempt to get something to change, but asking, planning, yelling and raging are not effective means of change. So, what do you do?
As a couples counselor and a wife of ten years, I have an answer.
2. You must fall in love with the behavior you hate.
"Huh?" is the usual response I get from clients when I say this. Followed quickly by "that is just not possible," "this is too horrible" and "how can you say this behavior is okay?" And sure, maybe you can't actually "fall in love" with your husband's sarcasm or your wife's anxiety about what the neighbors think, but maybe you can make room for this trait in the marriage. Maybe you can stop punishing your spouse. Because really, what choice do you have?
3. Rediscover what you loved.
In some cases, the "problem" behavior is the thing about our spouse we fell in love with five, ten or 40 years ago. But somewhere over the years, "I love how he is so social" turns to "I hate how he is never home."
You could spend the next five to 50 years shaming, raging or belittling your spouse, or you could find a way to accept this unacceptable trait. Now, you might be thinking: 'My spouse's behavior is truly unacceptable.' If that's the case, you need to think about getting out of the relationship. A union can't survive when one person actively hates the other. I think the ongoing daily or weekly vitriol is, in the end, more damaging to the relationship than the trait itself.
But let's say you do find a way to step away from "hating" your spouse's trait, and you stop punishing them. Funny things happen with acceptance, empathy and love — namely change. Real and lasting change can happen. It sounds crazy, but it actually works. When confronted with anger, disappointment and frustration, we tend to dig in our heels and resist change. But when we are given love and acceptance, it frees us up to explore other ways of being.
4. Look at the problem as a couple.
Imagine that you and your spouse both have on tee-shirts that read "You are the problem."
Imagine you are facing each other, pointing and yelling "You are the problem!" — heels get dug in, and it becomes a test of wills. Absolutely no change can take place in this situation.
Now imagine there is a sign on the wall that says "the problem" and you and your spouse are looking at it. You are standing shoulder to shoulder and both pointing at the sign and saying "this is the problem and together we can figure it out." That feels pretty different, doesn't it?
Most couples end up in the first scenario. They fight until they've exhausted living hell out of each other in an attempt to get rid of the traits they hate, but in the process, they can profoundly injure their partners and their relationships. I saw an elderly couple at a train station the other day, and the wife was looking for their tickets in her purse saying, "I just know I put them in here."
His response was not "What is wrong with you?" or "Why is it that you mess up the only thing you are in charge of?" Instead, he responded with generosity and kindness, touching her arm and then saying, "You are such a card; I am sure we will find them." And when she looked up at him, she smiled with such relief and he smiled back.
They were a team, focused on building each other up, not tearing each other down.
You can still hate the lateness, the sarcasm, or the anxiety about public image, and you will always argue and disagree to some degree, but you need to find a way to respect and love your partner in spite of these traits. And you might be surprised by how profoundly a little generosity and love can transform your marriage.
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Ashley Seeger, LCSW, is an experienced couples counselor who specializes in working with couples as they move through life transitions.
This article was originally published at Ashley Seeger DC Couples Counseling . Reprinted with permission from the author.