It’s a good time to be in a relationship and a bad time to be in a relationship. The world is more chaotic than ever, and the challenges we face are more complicated than ever.
According to the CDC, the divorce rate in 24 reporting states and DC is 2.3 per 1,000 population. The chances of divorce become even more during challenging times.
But that doesn’t mean that being in love is impossible – or even undesirable. In fact, it’s quite the opposite: when you’re with someone who cares about you, who has your back and who wants what’s best for you, it can feel like an oasis of calm in an otherwise chaotic world. With all of this said, there are definitely times when it can be difficult to stay strong as a couple and tackle life together.
If you are based out of Los Angeles then it’s always a good idea to explore the benefits of couples therapy in Los Angeles. Couples therapy can help you stay connected, even when your relationship is on the brink of falling apart.
Identify your roles in the relationship
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stress of life, and it can be tempting to let your decision-making skills get a little rusty. But when you’re trying to navigate through life together, it’s important to make sure that you’re both on the same page – and that means taking the time to identify your roles in the relationship.
You can do this by talking about what each of you does for the other person. For example, one partner may often take care of finances or make sure bills are paid on time, and another might be responsible for household chores and errands like grocery shopping or picking up dry cleaning. Identifying these responsibilities helps couples understand what is expected from each other so they can work out any issues quickly before they get too big.
When couples have different ideas about how relationships should work and what their individual roles should be, communication becomes key. It’s important for couples at all stages of their lives (from newlyweds to long-term partners) to talk openly about what they expect from one another, so there aren’t any surprises down the line when things don’t go as planned.
Recent data suggests that couples must fulfil each other’s most essential emotional needs. But why is this important? Being emotionally fulfilled helps a person to face life more audaciously, which makes a person a better life partner.
Deal with challenges head-on
When you’re in a committed relationship, it’s easy to fall into the trap of letting your partner do all the heavy lifting. You might think that you can solve all of your problems by yourself and just let them know when things are going well. But if you’ve ever been through a rough patch with your significant other, then you probably know how important it is to face these challenges as a team.
The truth is that there are so many ways that couples can help each other during difficult times. And when one person takes on too much responsibility for handling problems on their own, it can cause resentment and hurt feelings over time.
So here are three tips for couples to effectively tackle life’s challenges together:
- Be honest about what’s going on in your relationship, no matter how painful it may be.
- Don’t try to solve everything yourself. Instead, ask your partner for help or give them space if they need it.
- Talk about what makes each other happy and what doesn’t. This will help both of you feel more secure about where things stand between you two right now so that no one feels like their needs aren’t being met any more than necessary.
Recognise your partner’s strengths and weaknesses
Life together can be challenging. But it’s also a great opportunity to learn more about your partner and how they operate, and to use that knowledge to help you both achieve your goals.
One of the best ways to do this is by recognising your partner’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, some people are better at organizing than others, while others are better at problem-solving when it comes to logistics or finances. And yet others may just have a knack for being able to stay calm under pressure.
A study by the National Library of Medicine found that knowing your partner’s attitude is linked with improved interpersonal functioning between spouses in daily life. In addition, this also contributed to reduced overall ambulatory systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure.
The key is knowing what makes each person tick so you can work with them in a way that helps them thrive, rather than feeling pressured into doing things their way if it doesn’t fit with your personality or skillset.
For example, if your partner is great at organising but isn’t as good at problem-solving when it comes to logistics or finances, then you might want to step up and handle those tasks for them so they can focus on what they do best. And if you’re someone who tends toward being calmer under pressure, then perhaps you could help plan out the logistics of an upcoming trip, so your partner doesn’t have as much stress when all eyes are on them.
Summing up
At the end of the day, it’s all about being united.
When you’re a couple, you’ve got to make sure that you’re on the same page and working together towards a common goal. That way, when the going gets tough, you can face it together.
We hope these tips have helped you get a better idea of how to manage the challenges of life together as a couple.
Dennis Relojo-Howell is the managing director of Psychreg.
