Communication is the key to every successful relationship. There is no happy relationship without adequate and effective communication.
Healthy and effective communication builds a tight bond between partners. Couples that communicate effectively are said to be best of friends. Communication means discussing the important things of life.
Effective communication between partners is more than exchanging information, affections, or ideas. It entails understanding the emotions, feelings and attitude behind every conversation or words spoken.
This helps build a mutual understanding between both individuals for marital satisfaction.
Below are some tips that will enable you realize how to communicate effectively in your relationship.
Be an active listener
Effective communication requires you to be a great listener. You must pay adequate attention to every single details in the information passed across by your partner. Be present, focused and settled while listening to your partner.
Ensure that electronic gadgets like your phone or TV are put aside while communicating.
It helps the other person believe that their feelings and emotions are being received.
Be conscious of timing
Understanding when to bring up certain discussions in a relationship matters a lot. There is a certain time, place, mood, for certain conversations depending on the nature of the conversation and the privacy of the party involved. If certain conversations are brought up in an unfavorable location, be sure that the message would not be properly received by the listener.
Ask open-ended questions
Asking yes and no questions while communicating would not aid effective communications. For proper communication, you must ask questions that will allow the other person give more details depending on the nature of the person. For example asking questions like ‘how was your trip?’ allows room for extra further dialogue than ‘Hope your trip went well?’
Set adequate time aside to talk
Time is the most important resources for any happy relationship. A couple that has little or no time for each other for communication would keep having issues.
For effective communication in a relationship, both partners must set aside time to converse and communicate their feelings, emotions and fears. Planning out vacations and getaways would be of great help.
Avoid being too perfect while communicating
If you are perfectionist, it would be so hard for you to communicate with your partner with ease.
Perfectionists are people who are cautious of making mistakes. They are known to have high standards. This might hinder you from sharing essential details with your partners.
This is because you might feel uncomfortable sharing even the littlest information with him or her.
Minute information shared and discussed in relationship matters more than the ‘blockbuster’ information.
Sharing this information helps build a great bond between you and your partner because it makes them feel involved in your activities.
Constantly express positive feelings
Expressing positive feelings than the negative ones is very important. This entails expressing your appreciation, affection, respect and love from time to time. Constant expression of positive feelings would enable your partner receive constructive criticism with love.
Keep eye contact while conversing
Giving feedbacks while communicating with gestures like smiles, head tilting, nods, demonstrates an effective communication. Looking elsewhere when a conversation is going on shows lack of interest.
Erase the mind-reading mentality
It is important that you don’t expect your partner to read your mind. No one can read your mind no matter how long they’ve known you. Expecting your partner to read your mind can be detrimental to your relationship.
This is because it reduces the level of your communication. So, it is advisable that you communicate your feelings to your partner accurately.
