Successful Relationships Reading Corner
This week, we wrote about how being on the same side strengthens relationships and makes handling differences easy. Here are some writers on how to manage the differences without descending into conflict.
6 Ways to Manage the Differences in Your Relationship “Mary loves romantic comedies. Her boyfriend Sam likes action movies—the more violent, the better. She’s a vegetarian; he’s a carnivore. ‘I love him, but we seem totally mismatched,’ she says. ‘We can’t agree on a movie or a meal; how can we make important life choices, like where we’ll live or when we’ll start a family?'”
Rebuilding Emotional Safety: How to Accept Differences in a Relationship “Generally, rules and guidelines are designed to provide structure and a working understanding of how to act/behave in any given environment (i.e. rules for sports, traffic laws for drivers, and behavior expectations for employees). The same principle applies to the rules for fair fighting when it comes to couples. Fair fighting rules are purposeful and create an emotionally safe environment for couples when discussing important matters”
Six Healthy Ways to Navigate Disagreements with your Partner “Every person has had a disagreement with someone they love, but that does not mean it is the end of the road or the relationship. People have different opinions, and it is perfectly normal and okay to disagree with the people you love—even your partner. Though disagreements are a common part of life, less common are shared insights about how to navigate conflict in a healthy way. ‘The important thing to remember about having disagreements is that it is you and your partner against the problem, not you versus your partner,'”