Are you and your partner constantly fighting? Are you tired of it? Do you feel like your partner doesn’t understand you? It’s not easy living with someone else, even if it’s the person you love the most in this world. Building trust and intimacy takes work.
Here are some tips on how to help you empathize with your partner and build trust.
Communicate with your partner
Communication is essential in any relationship, whether you’re dating or married. If you don’t communicate well with your partner, you’re not going to get very far. Don’t assume that your partner knows what you need, or what you want. Sometimes we can interpret a partner’s inability to read our minds as a sign that they don’t care enough or love us enough.
Be open and honest about the things you want from your partner, and the things you want to give them. If you feel like something is off, tell your partner. If you feel like something is bothering you, talk about it. If you don’t feel that your partner respects you, talk about it. If you feel like your partner doesn’t respect you, talk about it. Once you let go of the things that are weighing down your relationship, you can focus on the things that bring you closer together.
To keep the conversations filled with love, keep an open mind and heart. Remember that your partner is, like you, dealing with various external and internal pressures. Do not assume that you already now why they act in certain ways. Genuine curiosity and love can help you navigate conflicts with grace.
Reverse roles
If you and your partner have been together for a while, you may have fallen into a routine. You are used to each other, which is great, but it can also get stale. When you reverse roles, you get a chance to see the world from your partner’s perspective. This can help you empathize with them better. You may discover that something they do may be annoying to you, and vice versa.
For example, if your partner always wakes you up when you’re sleeping in late, you may think it’s annoying. But if you’re the one who always wakes them up, it may not seem as bad. If you reverse roles for a day, it can help you see things from your partner’s perspective. This can help the two of you empathize with each other better.
Spend quality time together
Dates don’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, they can just be a night in. But they’re important. Dates are times when you can be completely focused on each other. You don’t have to worry about the kids or work, or anything else. You can just be there, together. Being able to focus on each other can help you and your partner empathize with each other better.
It can help you communicate better, and it can help you feel closer to each other. Dates don’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, they can just be a night in. What is important is your connection with each other. Dates are times when you can be completely focused on each other. You don’t have to worry about the kids or work, or anything else. You can just be there, together. Being able to focus on each other can help you and your partner empathize with each other better. It can help you communicate better, and it can help you feel closer to each other.
Dates are not just about nice activities. They are about spending quality time together to enjoy each other and connect.
Help each other grow
Partners should help each other grow. When one person stays stagnant, while the other person progresses, they can feel left behind. If one of you wants to go back to school, or start a new hobby, encourage them. If they are stuck in a rut, help them find a way out. When you help each other grow, you both come out better on the other side.
Sometimes, you may discover that you’ve helped each other grow past your relationship. You may decide that you don’t want to continue on as partners, but you want to continue supporting each other.
Take care of yourself
The extent to which we take care of ourselves is reflected in our relationships. The more you honor your wellbeing, the more you can be open, loving and honest with your partner. Taking time for ourselves when we are in a relationship can sometimes feel selfish – but it is the best thing you can do for one another.
If you’re constantly putting your partner first without taking care of yourself, you’re going to burn yourself out, and you’re going to resent your partner at some point. If you feel like you’re always giving to your partner, and never getting anything back, talk to them about it. Being clear and direct is an essential part of self-care.
Learn to forgive and let go
To have loving, beautiful and peaceful relationships, we need to be able to forgive continuously. None of us are perfect. Holding on to past hurts and grudges blocks the flow of life and love, and makes it difficult to have empathy for our partners. Owning our emotions and thoughts, and learning to let go of negativity is essential.
Sometimes, our emotions might tell us that a real change is needed in our relationship. If this is the case, own this truth and speak into it. Too often we merely tolerate our own negativity instead of speaking up or making a change. Your partner might not be as attuned to the dynamics of the relationship and might need some guidance, and might even welcome what you have to say.
If your struggle in your relationship is deep and dominates your life, take a few steps back and go within to source your truth about it. Our relationships are meant to be vehicles for light and love. If they are not, we need to either change the way we engage, level up the relationship or, sometimes, exit. At all times, forgiveness is essential so you can always navigate from your heart and move forward without the burdens of the past.