Dealing With Marital Strife

Strife is something that appears in many marriages. It’s a term that refers to the bitter soul-grabbing alterations that happen between a man and his wife. It enters the union for many reasons. Some of the most common are work issues, child rearing conflicts, in-laws, monetary problems, religious clashes, infidelity and misunderstandings. These are some tips that can help you to handle difficulty in your marriage.

Table of Contents

1. Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Communication is the key to resolving issues within your relationship. Many people have poor communication skills, and those poor skills prevent them from being able to resolve a conflict. You must tell your spouse exactly what’s bothering you and how much it bothers you. You must also let your spouse know what you would like him or her to do to resolve it.

2. Remember That Everyone Goes Through It

Keep in mind that all relationships have problems at one point or another. It’s natural for two people to clash now and then when they’re both trying to occupy the same space and be individuals as well as part of a unit. The problem doesn’t make your union good or bad. The way you handle it does.

3. Ask if It’s Worth Destroying Your Union

You may have to take a few days to reflect on the subject that’s causing distance in your family and ask yourself if it’s worth it to harp on this subject. Infidelity is going to take a while to overcome, and you may not overcome it at all. Other things like in-law issues and monetary problems can be resolved.

4. Cool Off

Always give yourself some time to cool off if the arguments get heated. If you have to leave home or stay out of his or her way for a while, that’s okay. When the two of you are calm enough to speak, then you should have an honest heart-to-heart about things.

5. Keep It in the House

One of the most common mistakes that spouses make when it comes to marital problems is involving others. Your problems and disagreements should stay in the home. That way, neither of you is being swayed by outside influencers or being given inaccurate or harmful advice or information.

6. Try Relationships Counseling

Counseling is a good way to go if you want to have a neutral third party get involved and try to help you save your family. Shop around for a good provider with a pleasant personality, and you and your spouse will be healthier for it.

7. Listen to Your Spouse

Try to listen to your spouse’s concerns without interrupting. It may be hard when you’re trying to get your point across at the same time, but you can heal the relationships more if you try.

8. Be Willing to Admit Errors

People have a difficult time admitting when they are incorrect, but sometimes doing so can save a union. Apologize if you notice that you misjudged your spouse or made some other type of faulty judgment. Your spouse will appreciate your humility.

9. See Things From Your Spouse’s Side

Empathy is an element that you need to have as a part of your relationship. It’s the ability to not only listen to what your spouse is saying, but also walk a mile in her shoes to understand how she feels. Understanding your spouse’s pain may compel you to compromise.

10. Learn the Art of Complimenting

Finally, you must learn the art of complimenting to successfully diffuse martial strife. In other words, do not be afraid to say nice things to your spouse. It’s easy to focus on the bad things, but can you think of some good things about your spouse? If so, remind him of them. It may prompt him to say something nice about you, and then you’ll start a trend.

Now that you know a few tips for handling marital strife, you and your spouse should be able to recover from whatever caused your problems. Marriage is a very precious institution that should never be allowed to spoil over something as simple as a disagreement. Try any one or several of the above-mentioned tips. They could be the lifesavers that your marriage needed.

Kayla Clough is the email specialist here at OurStart. Kayla is a recent graduate of Eastern University in PA where she majored in Marketing and Human Resources. Kayla loves all things fashion, her golden retriever Max, and coffee. When she is not working, you can find her binge watching Sex in the City and baking her latest find on Pinterest.