Category

Relationships

Jun 24
Love0

How to Back Your Empathy with Action

By Marriage, Relationships 3 Comments

Empathy is more than just taking an internal walk in your partner’s shoes. Instead, real empathy requires action. Without action, empathy won’t go very far in your relationship. As James D. Parker said, “Empathy alone matters little if we fail to act.” Empathy is transformative. It helps us see, hear, and understand one another like nothing else. And, when properly cultivated, it inspires action. We must back our empathy with action if we want to show our spouses how much we truly love them. So how can we back our empathy with action? Let’s dive in. 1. Set aside your…

Read More
Jun 17
Love0

3 Truths About Anger Everyone Should Know

By Conflict, Relationships 10 Comments

Anger is a natural part of being human, but it can also become destructive when uncontrolled. Likewise, anger is a natural part of conflict. It’s important that we understand how to manage anger so that we can effectively manage conflicts in our marriages and other interpersonal relationships. Anger tends to be the result of a perceived injustice against us. When improperly processed and communicated, anger can damage relationships–sometimes irreversibly. Uncontrolled anger can muddy the waters of a good fight and prevent us from getting to the core of the issue at hand. Let’s look at a few truths about anger…

Read More
Jun 03
Love1

How Facts vs. Feelings Influence Your Spouse

By Communication, Marriage, Relationships One Comment

In marriage, spouses influence one another significantly–both consciously and unconsciously. Knowing whether your spouse is more influenced by facts or by feelings can add a great deal of productivity to your conversations. We’re all influenced primarily by either facts or feelings. When spouses’ primary points of influence clash, this can lead to difficulties in communication. But when we know the driving force behind one another’s primary influences, we can better anticipate how to communicate successfully. So how do you determine whether your spouse is influenced by feelings or facts? How to Know if Your Spouse is Influenced by Facts People…

Read More
May 20
Love0

What Smart Love Looks Like, and Why It’s Important

By Relationships One Comment

In order to forge healthy relationships, it’s crucial to practice something we like to call smart love. Smart love allows us to make intelligent and informed decisions in all our relationships–ultimately strengthening and improving them. Today, we’re taking a look at what smart looks like, and a few ways you can practice it in your own relationships. It applies to relationships of all kinds, but for today’s purposes, we’ll focus on dating and engagement. Smart Love is Patient and Discerning Patience and discernment are incredibly important components of smart love. That’s because smart love is determined to find a good…

Read More
May 06
Love1

How Overcoming Insecurity Leads to Healthier Relationships

By Relationships, Self Reflection 4 Comments

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt Part of being an emotionally and psychologically healthy individual–and thus, having healthier relationships–is overcoming insecurity. Insecurity is a problem that plagues countless people worldwide, and it really hampers our ability to relate well with one another. Psychological health is largely an inside job, and insecurity is a psychologically unhealthy state to live in. Being psychologically healthy means we’re healthy in our spirit, character, feelings, and thoughts. But when we’re insecure, our thoughts don’t tend to be very healthy. Today, we’re taking a look at how overcoming insecurity…

Read More
Apr 22
Love0

3 Reasons Why It’s Time to Take Control of Your Emotional Health

By Marriage, Relationships, Self Reflection One Comment

Our emotional, psychological, and spiritual health influences every person we come into contact with–especially our spouse. Strong relationships are dependent upon our ability to feel truly significant, complete, and selfless as individuals. We all have the power to take control of our emotional health–and, in turn, our relationships. There are many things you can do to nurture your health in these areas, and investing that time and effort in yourself will pay dividends not only now, but in the future as well. Here are three reasons why it’s time to take control of your emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. 1….

Read More
Apr 15
Love0

10 Tips for Weathering an Uncertain Season Together

By Communication, Marriage, Relationships 3 Comments

We all face uncertain seasons from time to time. If you’re married, you have the added bonus of having a partner you can weather these storms with. Unfortunately, sometimes uncertainty and stress can divide us rather than bringing us together. If you’re facing a difficult time right now, it’s important to find ways to come together rather than being torn apart. You can do this by exercising a combination of vulnerability, selflessness, patience, and empathy. Let’s look at 10 tips to help you and your spouse weather an uncertain season together. 1. Be open about your struggles. Uncertainty produces a…

Read More
Apr 08
Love0

How to Make Memories Together in a Time of Upheaval

By Marriage, Relationships, Time 5 Comments

During at time of upheaval, our lives feel very out of control. It’s very easy to get bogged down by the uncertainty, negativity, and anxiety associated with difficult times–whether economic, health-related, or otherwise. That’s why it’s so important to intentionally make memories together during the hard times. It seems counterintuitive, but working to make happy memories helps you and your spouse find positive things to focus on. Rather than feeling deprived of happy times, you have the power to create them yourself. This can be pivotal for couples and families who are feeling the stress of a difficult time. Today,…

Read More
Mar 31
Love0

Five Practical and Proactive Things You Can Do At Home

By Communication, Marriage, Parenting, Relationships, Self Reflection One Comment

Dear Friends, We want to help you in some small way. Our family of four (including our college-student son who is now home from Chicago) has gone into full social-distancing mode here in Seattle to help “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. Chances are that your family is doing the same. The good news? We’re seeing a lot more of each other than we normally do. The challenge? Well, we’re seeing a lot more of each other than we normally do! So, how do you create a safe, healthy, and happy home in these difficult days? We’ll leave the medical advice…

Read More
Mar 25
Love0

8 Ways to Help Your Spouse Through Anxiety

By Marriage, Relationships 3 Comments

Is your spouse experiencing anxiety? Wondering how to help? One in 13 people experience anxiety worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). So if your spouse is experiencing anxiety, he or she is not alone. People who live with anxiety–whether chronic or situational–need emotional support from those closest to them. That means it’s critical for you to know exactly how to help your spouse through anxiety. We’ve pulled together 8 ways to help your spouse if they’re having anxious thoughts or feelings. Let’s dive in. 1. Just listen. Anxiety is a slow build of churning thoughts and fears that…

Read More