If you are in love but have a poor relationship, opening up the lines of communication might remedy your relationship.
Here’s why. One thing that separates humans from the animal kingdom is how they communicate. Although many animals vocalize and use gestures to connect, people have the language to converse. Sharing thoughts, emotions, and abstract ideas strengthens relationships and makes them last.
Thirteen Ways Communication Improves Your Poor Relationship
When was the last time you and your person took a break from technology and had a meaningful chat? Communicating effectively with each other is essential. Here are 13 ways that talking with each other can improve your relationship.
1. Judgmental Attitudes Decrease With Better Communication
One of the best ways to heal a poor relationship is to eliminate judgmental attitudes. You are both individuals, and each has preferences and opinions. The critical perspective comes from trying to place your views above theirs.
Instead, you learn to listen to them and accept them for who they are, not what you think they should be. In turn, they’ll respect and welcome you. Even when you disagree, you can do so respectfully and try to see each other’s points of view.
2. It Decreases All-or-Nothing Thinking That’s Often Present in a Poor Relationship
Poor relationships are often based on all-or-nothing thinking. Your conversations are peppered with unhelpful words like “always” and “never.” For example: “It’s always going to work out like that,” or, “that’s never going to happen.”
You’ve decided about an issue, and there are no in-betweens. You can improve your relationship by adopting a more flexible mindset. Instead of one option, good communication can help you see other perspectives.
3. You See One Another’s Vulnerabilities, Improving Your Poor Relationship
Like most people, you probably think that vulnerability is the same as weakness. It can be a weakness in a one-sided, poor relationship. However, showing your openness to your mate shows tremendous courage.
According to an article in the Southern Journal of Philosophy, mutual feelings of vulnerability are essential to intimacy. You and your partner love each other so much that you’ll accept the risk of being hurt. The relationship can flourish if you respect one another and don’t take advantage of the other’s weaknesses.
4. Keeps You Focused on the Present
Remembering the past can be a blessing or a curse in a relationship. It’s worthwhile for you and your mate to reminisce about delightful memories. Things like your first date and first kiss are beautiful moments to cherish always.
There’ll constantly be some rough spots on the road, whether you have a thriving or poor relationship. These trials can be teaching tools if you don’t dwell on them. Keeping the lines of communication open keeps you both focused on the present and improving your future.
5. Better Communication Allows You to Understand Your Feelings
One of the most prominent buzzwords in relationship psychology is talking about your feelings. If you both assume that you can read each other’s minds, it can result in a poor relationship. Honest communication is the only way to know what the other is thinking and feeling.
Also, giving voice to your feelings allows you a deeper understanding of them. When you have genuine and transparent discussions, it leaves little room for misunderstandings. You are more aware of each other’s feelings and emotions and work to solve any problems.
6. Teaches You to Listen More Than You Speak
People with excellent communication skills have learned it’s not a one-way street. Your ears and auditory nerves can physically “hear” someone talking, but it doesn’t mean you’re “listening.” Hearing is passive while listening requires action as you consider the meaning of each sentence.
Like most valuable skills, active listening takes practice and some patience. You listen to what your person is saying without interrupting. Plus, you practice mirroring their emotions and restating what they’ve said so you don’t misunderstand anything.
7. Helps You Alter Your Body Language and Gestures
Your body language is just as essential in communication as your words. An article published by Frontiers in Psychology suggests that early humans developed gestures and body language before language. When conversing with your partner, notice if your words and body language match.
An ideal way to observe your body language is in front of a mirror. Is your posture relaxed and receptive, or are you tense with your arms crossed? Using positive body language corresponding to your words can make a difference.
8. Minimizes Arguments
It’s unrealistic to expect that all will be rosy in your relationship and that you’ll never quarrel. Even the most loving couples have an occasional disagreement or even a heated argument. If the waters are always calm, someone isn’t being honest, and you’ll have a poor relationship.
There’s nothing wrong with debating opposing opinions as long as it doesn’t cross a line. When you’re used to openly communicating with each other, you can consider different points of view. While it doesn’t mean you’ll never argue, at least you can defend your opinions respectfully.
9. Allows Goals and Future Planning
If you’re in a lasting relationship, you plan for the future. Your discussions naturally use we, us, and ours. If your goals only include “I,” you will likely have a poor relationship.
It would help if you shared each other’s dreams and aspirations. Some discussions may involve compromise, but that’s part of a healthy relationship. While planning together, consider making a dream board and adding to it as needed.
10. Helps Honesty Flow
People can love each other all they want, but a relationship is nothing without honesty and trust. It would help if you had someone who has your back and won’t lie to you. They’ll answer your questions honestly, even if the truth sometimes hurts.
Having meaningful discussions allows you to know each other better. As you both open up, you soon learn about each other’s mindsets. Close partners can usually tell when the other is being truthful or deceitful.
When those honest opinions sting, you know if it’s meant in love or is mean-spirited. You appreciate that your partner loves you enough to point out something that will help you. In turn, they will appreciate your honesty and genuineness.
11. Enhances Patience and Understanding
It’s easy for you and your mate to get frustrated. You both may have habits that annoy the other. They gripe about you keeping the house too warm, and you’re forever scolding them for leaving the toilet seat raised. These little irritations can turn into more significant issues unless you communicate.
Nobody’s perfect in a relationship, and you learn to be patient with each other. Each one works on their shortcomings while not being too judgmental. When you can cooperate on minor issues, you have the patience and confidence to tackle the large ones.
12. Improve a Poor Relationship by Understanding Your Partner’s Individuality
In many cultural and religious traditions, they see couples so intimately connected that they are “one flesh.” While it’s a lovely metaphor, it’s not that simple. You and your mate bond in love but still retain individuality.
How much do you and your significant other know about each other? You won’t have a healthy relationship if you allow your individuality to fade. That’s why discussing your interests, hobbies, and aspirations is essential.
Instead of following conventional wisdom, keep your relationship strong by supporting each other as an individual. Encourage your mate to enjoy their hobbies and other activities and do the same. You’ll have more to share and have more fun when you do things as a couple.
13. Teaches You to Respond Rather than React
There’s a big difference between responding and reacting and knowing that can improve your relationship. For example, you ask your partner to stir a saucepan on the stove while you chop some veggies. They get side-tracked and enter the living room while the sauce burns in the pan.
If you react to the situation, you yell at them for being careless and say the whole meal is ruined. But you respond to the situation and take a few minutes to cool your temper and consider other options. Maybe you could whip up some more sauce or enjoy a meal that’s just as tasty without it.
Communicating with your partner often helps you respond instead of having a knee-jerk reaction all the time. Of course, you’ll both have situations when you explode and must apologize later. The more you relate to each other, the better you can discuss things, even in the heat of the moment.
Final Thoughts on Improving a Poor Relationship with Communication
The beauty of being a couple is that you can share your heart and mind with them. Meaningful conversations pave the way for a better understanding and a tighter bond. The first step to improving a poor relationship is learning to talk to each other.
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