Have you ever wondered if your best intentions could be harming your relationship with your partner? How often do we unknowingly say or do things that drive us apart? Sometimes it seems like we're doing everything right, but the results can be completely different. As IZ reports with reference to Psychology Today, here are three common habits that, while seemingly innocent, can gradually affect your emotional connection with your partner. One of the most common mistakes is underestimating your partner's emotions. When you hear their feelings and say, “You're just exaggerating,” or “It's not that big of a deal,” you may not realize how hurtful you are to their feelings.
Your partner may feel that their feelings are not being heard, and over time, this can lead to emotional detachment. A person who does not feel supported can lose trust and interest in the relationship. To avoid this, learn to listen. It does not matter whether you agree with your partner's emotions or not, it is important to give them the opportunity to express their feelings. For example, say: “I understand that this upsets you, tell me why”. These simple words help maintain emotional balance and show that you are truly interested in your partner.
Another problem that can lead to alienation is when every conversation becomes an opportunity to share only your own experiences. Your partner wants to talk about their problems, but you constantly turn the conversation back to yourself. This can create the feeling that their problems are not as important as yours, and this will subtly push them away. After all, each of us wants to feel that we are important and interesting to our partner. To fix this, try asking more questions about your partner's experiences before sharing your own experiences. A simple question like, “How are you feeling?” will help show your partner that their thoughts and feelings are important to you.
Finally, no less important is the habit of constantly bringing up old conflicts during new arguments. It's like constantly carrying a heavy burden from past mistakes. Each new conflict can remind your partner of what he has not yet managed to fix, and this can lead to a feeling of hopelessness. If you keep going back to old mistakes, your partner may think that he is incapable of changing in your eyes. The best way is to close old issues as soon as they arise. If something hurts and you can’t let go, think about how you can deal with the pain without transferring it to your partner.
Recall that we wrote earlier that trust is the very currency that opens the door to the heart of human interaction.