Communication: Back to the Basics Part 4

I hope that the first 3 parts of this series have been helpful reminders of simple ways to reduce conflict and improve communication in your marriages and families. There is one more golden rule to discuss, and this one is the primary phrase that we heard our parents and teachers say over and over when we were growing up. Rule #4: Treat others the way you want to be treated. When all else fails, and when we can’t remember in the heat of the moment those constructive suggestions that we wanted … [Read more...]

Back to the Basics: Improving Communication in Your Family (Part 2 of 4)

Last time you heard from me, I discussed the importance of remembering the “golden rules” we learned as children but may have forgotten or taken for granted as adults.  This often leads to hurting families and poor communication.  Today I would like to pick up where I left off by introducing Rule # 2, which, again, seems very basic, but how well do we really execute it consistently? “Listen while others are speaking.”  I bet if I asked ten people to rate themselves on their listening skills, … [Read more...]

Building Up Your Marriage

Books and movies often come to a close shortly after a couple has learned of their passionate love for each other, and therefore live ‘happily ever after.’ But in real life, that’s where a true love story begins. Fairytales aside, it takes more than a passionate feeling to maintain a fulfilling and committed relationship, day in and day out, for the rest or your life. One of the biggest challenges after entering into a marriage is the inevitable shift from a ‘me’ focus to a ‘we’ focus. In a … [Read more...]