Conflict in your relationships can push a man away. I want to show you four ways to stop arguments in your relationship.
Being with someone you care about means there are emotional stakes involved. It also means getting hurt from time to time when you don’t agree on something, and you end up fighting about it.
Are you looking for a way to keep these conflicts from getting out of hand in your relationship?
Apply the tips below to start de-escalating the tension with your guy:
#1: Don’t Sweep it Under the Rug
Sooner or later, you’ll need to deal with whatever’s bothering you. And it’s better to do it before all those negative feelings snowball and overwhelm you both.
Besides, you don’t want to keep it all inside and act like nothing’s wrong, only for you to have an outburst later on.
Understanding the need for handling problems as they come up is the first step. From here, you can work on taking action so that things don’t come to a head.
#2: Learn How to Criticize Constructively
I know how annoying it can be when your guy doesn’t respond to low-level complaints; you feel forced to get nasty just to get him to listen.
Whether it’s taking out the trash before going to bed or paying the bills on time, there’s a better alternative to having a meltdown and being too harsh with your words.
What you need to do is be clear about what you need from him and leave out any accusations or name-calling.
This makes it easier for guys to deal with difficult topics, like commitment or talking about your emotions.
Speaking of which, it’s best to lead with your emotions by telling him how you feel about a certain issue. For instance, you can say, “I feel like we’re not spending enough time together, and I’d really love for us to work on that.”
And that brings us to the next step…
#3: Work From a “Team Us” Perspective
Men love to tinker, so you can encourage him to deal with an issue by making it something you can solve together. From a male perspective, problems seem better when they’re a troubleshooting experience.
You wouldn’t get a positive reaction by simply blurting out, “You know, it sucks that you’re too caught up in your job and it’s really selfish of you not to care about spending time together.”
Let him feel that he can be part of the solution, rather than pinning the problem on him or his lack of concern. Find a good time to talk about it, but bring it up in a way that doesn’t make him defensive (see #2) or shuts down on you.
If he can’t deal with it right now, ask him what would be a good time to talk about it later on. At the very least, he’s aware that you have something on your mind and has enough time to prepare for a discussion.
I personally find the feeling of being ambushed to be unpleasant, so the less harsh you can bring up a difficult topic, the more receptive your man will be.
#4: Look for the Silver Lining
I know it’s tough dealing with conflict, and the best way to cope with it is by having a good perspective to work from.
You may feel bad in the heat of the moment and have those “doom and gloom” thoughts. But remember, these are just temporary feelings and it doesn’t mean that everything’s going down the drain.
Focus on the fact that you’re just going through growing pains and learning more about each other in the process.
If anything, knowing more about your partner will bring you closer after the dust settles.
What’s important is that you’re learning how to manage difficult situations and keeping a positive sentiment in your relationship.
Keeping a guy doesn’t have to be an uphill struggle though. Learning about his Connection Style will take out the guesswork of making him fall deeper in love with you.
When it comes to a relationship, there are signs you are smothering him. And like it or not, one of the things in life a girlfriend doesn't want to do is smother her partner. There are lots of reasons for this coming up in a relationship. But the most important advice for you to know […]
When you're looking for a life partner, the first question you need to ask is how compatible are we? Compatibility in a relationship will help you understand if you're right for each other. Yes, you can take a quiz to find out more about your compatibility. (I'll point you to my compatibility quiz in just […]
For most women, the first time you kiss a guy is important, because it's the first intimate contact you have with him. Let's talk about how to kiss a guy - and how to make him crazy for you when you do! Let's get real here - you're probably not a beginner. But you do […]
It's tricky enough talking to people in person, but what if you want to start a conversation on dating apps? How do you do it? After all there are a crazy number of apps out there for your phone, and even websites for those of you dating on your computer. Online dating is a huge […]
It can be tricky to admit you're wrong. BUT if you made a mistake, you need to know how to apologize to your boyfriend (or your husband). It's an essential skill for any woman that finds herself needing to make amends. After all, anyone can make a mistake or act out of impulse and say the […]
It's probably pretty obvious but there are things you should never say to a guy. Some things are better left unsaid when all is said and done. One of the questions I ask all of my newsletter subscribers is, "What have you said to a man that you regretted?" And it's one of the most […]
What is a man thinking when he pulls away from you? Is he thinking about the relationship? Is he thinking about another woman? What exactly goes through a man's mind when he pulls away from the relationship? That's what were going to investigate here. The truth is going to surprise you. Very often a woman […]
If there's one pain that we experience that we would prefer to avoid it's a broken heart. But there is a cure for a broken heart, no matter how painful it may seem right now. But the most important thing you need to ask is, "Does my heart have to stay broken?" "Can I win […]
Let's talk about the attitudes men love about women. A lot of people get this wrong, so it's really important for you to get it right. If you do, he'll find you irresistible. If you don't, you'll struggle. Let's look into the most irresistible attitudes for women - the ones men can't resist. And probably […]
So you're texting a guy, and you're wondering how to tell if he likes you by his texts. How do you really know what he thinks about you? It's hard to NOT read into whatever words he sends to you, after all. You finally exchanged numbers with that guy. You know the cute guy you […]