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There is no shortage of posts and articles about relationships. Many of them talk about “fixing” and “repairing” and “saving.” This is a good thing...but it’s not the only thing.
We live in a society that features a divorce rate that’s hovered around 50 percent for decades. And that’s only for first marriages. Simply put, most relationships end. Some of them could’ve been fixed, repaired, or saved. Other unions eventually run their course.
No one enters a marriage anticipating its demise. Unfortunately, many marriages do fall apart over time, ultimately ending in divorce.
How can two committed people fall out of love? What changes over the years to make a marriage fail? While every couple is unique, there are common reasons why marriages fall apart.
When you are dating someone, everything seems happy at first. You are just discovering your feelings of love for each other with a series of romantic dates. While dating in the early days is typically light and fun, a long-term relationship is a different ballgame. It requires living with someone you are entirely committed to. Sometimes, you discover new things about your partner that you did not know when you first started dating.
A common area of conflict for many couples centers around parenting styles. It can be a complicated situation to navigate and communicate about. Finding common ground with your partner is important for your relationship and for your children. Parenting is hard enough even when you have similar beliefs and backgrounds. It can be even harder when your values, beliefs, and backgrounds differ.
So, what do you do?
It is never easy to see your partner struggling with stress or anxiety. After all, stress can be contagious. Your partner’s worries end up becoming your worries. However, avoiding or ignoring your partner’s worries won’t make them go away or magically enhance your relationship.
Being newlywed can be the most exciting time in your life. Yet, for many, the financial struggles can start to be overwhelming. Are you dealing with the aftermath of spending a lot of money on a wedding? Or is the responsibility of creating your home together a persistent drain on your wallet?
When you love someone, helping them through difficult times is inevitable. Life isn’t always easy and being someone’s partner means being there for them when they need you the most.
If your partner has recently lost a family member or someone they care about, that includes being there for them throughout the grieving process.
You will probably be the first person your partner looks to for support. While that might feel overwhelming at first, it’s important to expect it and be as prepared as possible.
Before you and your partner were parents, you were a couple. Everything was all about satisfying the two of you. Now, baby makes three.
It didn’t take long to discover how much adding parenting to the mix changes the dynamic of your relationship. Even though your little one is a bundle of joy, your baby can also present a lot of challenges. You may be dealing with increasing stress related to everything from your baby’s cries, diaper changing and feeding, to financial issues, reduced intimacy, and sheer exhaustion.
Think about the way you respond to conflict and problems in your relationship with your spouse or partner.
What’s going on when things get tense or conflicts arise?
That flooded feeling that sucks you down into your feelings, overwhelms your thoughts and carries you away from reason and logic isn’t unusual. It takes skill to work through what’s happening in your body and mind before you behave in a way that may be damaging to your relationship.
One skill you can learn will make a big difference: self-soothing.
