Introduction
Have you ever had a conversation with your partner that went completely sideways? I mean, it started out fine, but before long it felt like you two were living in different realities. And then! It ended with one of you storming off or screaming something hurtful and mean—and neither one of those options is ideal for building a healthy relationship. So why does this happen? Well, it’s because all relationships have their ups and downs, even healthy ones (we’re human after all!). But there are some things that can be done to prevent miscommunication from turning into an ugly fight or argument that ruins your connection with your partner forever.
Not taking enough time to listen to your partner.
When it comes to communication, listening is the most crucial component. There are many ways to listen:
- *Inner Listening* involves actively listening with your heart. This means putting aside all distractions and focusing on your partner’s words. It’s a skill that can be practiced, but it takes time and effort! The more you practice inner listening, the better you will understand your partner—and that understanding will help you communicate more effectively.
- *Outer Listening* involves paying attention to what someone else says, but not necessarily understanding their emotions or feelings behind their words (if they even have any). Outer listening may help you hear what someone has said when they don’t want to share any personal information; however, outer listening alone isn’t enough for effective communication between two people who care about each other deeply!
Giving your partner unsolicited advice.
Giving unsolicited advice is one of the biggest ways that couples miscommunicate.
When your partner isn’t asking for help, give them space instead of trying to fix it yourself. It’s tempting to jump in with a solution when you see something that could be improved, but most often what people want is just someone they can talk to who will listen and offer support. If they want advice later, they will ask for it then!
Don’t give advice when it’s not wanted or needed—and don’t feel bad if you don’t know what else to say!
Trying to convince your partner they are wrong.
It’s important to avoid trying to convince your partner they are wrong.
- Avoiding this mistake will make it easier for you to understand your partner’s perspective and find common ground with them, which ultimately will help improve communication in the relationship.
- It also shows that you respect their opinions and ideas by not being condescending or dismissive of them.
- Finally, if there is a disagreement over something, it may lead to an argument where both individuals feel attacked for what they believe in due to the attempt at convincing someone else that their way is right!
Not finding common ground with your partner.
Common ground is what you and your partner agree on. It is a place where both of you can build on, a platform for future understanding. Common ground is the foundation that allows a couple to build their relationship with each other. Without it, there’s no way to move forward together in any meaningful way because you’ll keep bumping up against each other while trying to get anywhere.
Common ground includes topics like:
- What do we want our lives together to look like?
- How would each of us like our children raised?
- What are some things we dislike about our own family? And why?
These common mistakes ALWAYS result in miscommunication and can lead to bigger problems in the relationship
- Mistake 1: not taking enough time to listen to your partner.
- Mistake 2: giving your partner unsolicited advice.
- Mistake 3: trying to convince your partner they are wrong.
- Mistake 4: not finding common ground with your partner.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about these common mistakes and their real-world consequences. If you ever find yourself in the situation where your partner is making any of these mistakes, we encourage you to speak up and say something! By doing so, not only will it help your relationship but also it may help them make a positive change in their own lives as well!