Home Archive Prev Next

Reach for Mutual Solutions in Your Relationship

Find your answers by co-creating them!

One of the reasons we get on so well is that when we tackle a problem, whether emotional or practical, we are adept at finding a mutual solution, an outcome that works for both of us. It is something that we have created together by contributing our different viewpoints. It is not something that either of us would have come up with alone because each of us brings different knowledge, views and insights to bear.

Because each of us is attempting to construct something that both works for ourselves and addresses the concerns of the other, we end up with a solution that works for both of us and does not involve compromise. This is possible because, in any situation, there are multiple possibilities, but at the start, we can usually only see one.

Compromise is the act of giving up something to get something else. It assumes that there are different sides, and that one must settle in order to avoid conflict. It does not allow for the possibility that a resolution can be found, a resolution where, instead of giving up or changing something, you can create a solution that was not originally imaginable to either person. Without putting down compromise or its benefits, we are discussing a different path– one that is not about giving up on some part of yourself, your wants and perhaps even needs, but rather a path that, by acting in union, allows you to find new mutual solutions. How Two: Have a Successful Relationship

We have examined how we go about this and identified a method for creating mutual solutions and incorporating this into your relationship. We call this Our Process(read about it here or listen to Phil reading it to you). This process can be applied by any two people who wish to experience peace together, and intend to share decisions and plans from a place of true mutuality. Here is a summary of it from our latest book.

A willingness to change and a belief that other positions are possible are both critical to this process. Our intention is to be together and to reach a solution or decision that is mutual. We are both fully present with each other, and neither of us has a predetermined answer. By hearing each other and being open, new ideas arise, and for each of us, our landscape of possibilities expands until we meet at a solution that neither of us imagined at the start. A new creation has emerged; something that is the product of both of us together, rather than from just one of us alone. How Two: Have a Successful Relationship

Our blog last week was on active listening, an integral part of Our Process. Whatever methods you use to reach a mutual solution, the magical thing is that, in a committed relationship based on a secure foundation, one is always to be found. If this hasn’t been your experience to date, then it’s time to revise your expectations. Talk with your partner and see if you can both move past the assumptions of win-lose and compromise and aim for a mutual solution. The magic is that there is always a rabbit in the hat, even though you both swore it was empty.

In summary, a mutual solution is

Something new that arises from each of you working together.
Something that neither of you would have come up with alone.
Something that works for both of you because it is a product of the two of you.

Please share your questions and comments on the blog by clicking here.
Click here to hear Phil reading this blog to you.

Successful Relationship Reading Corner

In this week's blog, we wrote about reaching for mutual solutions in your relationship. No one else seems to be talking about this concept, and the closest we could find was articles talking about problem-solving and decision-making.

The Art of Solving Relationship Problems "Unsettled problems are a major source of stress, stress that can not only undermine your relationship, but your diabetes management as well. Research has shown that successful relationships are not those that necessarily have fewer problems, but those that have found effective means of solving the problems that come up. Here is a 6-step process for tackling and solving those problems in your relationships."

Learning to Make Joint Decisions "Learning to make joint decisions is an important part of any long-term romantic relationship. While decisions start small, with tonight’s supper, they get bigger, through the colour of the bathroom to whether to have children, how to manage childcare, and whether to move abroad to support one partner’s career, for example. Developing a reliable basis for decision-making and discussion will provide a good foundation for a long-lasting relationship."

7 Solutions That Can Save a Relationship "Even though every relationship has its ups and downs, successful couples have learned how to manage the bumps and keep their love life going, says marriage and family therapist Mitch Temple, author of The Marriage Turnaround. They hang in there, tackle problems, and learn how to work through the complex issues of everyday life."

Spreading peace one relationship at a time
Phil and Maude

Read our blogs at PhilAndMaude.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Email us at philandmaude@philandmaude.com
If you are interested in newsletters you've missed, see our archive.

Do you know anyone who would enjoy this newsletter? Tell them to sign up at http://philandmaude.com/howtwo/.