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Increase Your Happiness by Learning to Fight Fair in Marriage

*Welcome to week five of this 12-week series based on the New York Times® bestselling book, Happy Wives Club.  Join me each week as I share 12 principles about marriage I’ve learned from some of the happiest couples around the world.*

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How to Fight Fair in Marriage

There are a few schools of thought when it comes to arguing in marriage.

Some say it is abnormal if you don’t. Others believe it is possible, with the one you love most, to get your point across without pointing fingers.

Either way, there are so many great nuggets of wisdom to be gained by this post by power couple, Byron & Annett Davis.

Welcome to week five of our 12 Weeks to a Happier Marriage series (and if you’re wondering why this is a week late…charge it to my head not my heart).

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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It’s natural, and inevitable that at some point you and your spouse will have a little spat.

Disagreements are normal because, as humans, we all bring different perspectives and experiences to a situation. These differences in view point will naturally create disconnects in communication and understanding.

Resent research reveals that couples who have small disagreements on a regular basis tend to avoid big divisive arguments in the long run.

The reason is simple; small verbal disagreements can actually help couples keep lines of communication open, and honest.  If… they know how to fight fair.

In this post we came up with 10 important practices that we found helps us to not have big battles, and how we’ve learned to communicate to keep our marriage happily in tact. 

We wanted this to be sort of a “he says – she says” post, so Byron’s points have a (B) and Annett’s have an (A) in front of them. We hope this helps you continue on your journey to happily ever after.

How to Increase Your Happiness by Learning to Fight Fair in Marriage

1. Establish the rules of engagement (B):  Your perspective and past experience create the unique lens through which you see the present situation you are in. A lens that may be different from your significant other. This is why setting up the ground rules is so important.  When you create a clear set of short and simple rules (i.e. No malicious attacks to make the other feel small) each of your will always feel safe and ready to address the issue at hand.

2. Stay Away From Absolutes (A):  This is a tough one for me. Speaking in absolutes comes natural to me, but I’ve learned that if we want to be happily married controlling my tongue is very important. Avoid making statements such as “You always…” or “You never…” which most times are exaggerations. No one likes to be told they never or always do something, don’t add fuel to the fire when it’s not necessary.

 3. Define The Win (B):  As it relates to managing disagreements, both parties must have a clear understanding what a mutually beneficial outcome looks like. Annett and I have learned confusion, and misunderstandings are the leading culprits to heated arguments and breakdowns in our communication.  

By first simply working together to bring clarity to the outcome, we defuse tension upfront and eliminate the defensiveness that is bred out of the fear of being the one who loses.

 4. Be Present (A):  Often times it’s easy to lose sight of the problem at hand. We drift back to last weeks or even last years fight. Doing this distracts you from solving the problem at hand.

Stay present! Staying present makes you deal with the here and now. The benefit to this is moving forward you’ll never have a need to bring up past unresolved issues, and you’ll be more effective at putting the current disagreement behind you for good. 

5. Begin with the end in mind (B):  This point is slightly different from “Defining The Win”. Many times we say things in the heat of the moment to win the argument and forget about the collateral damage that our words can cause. Just because you are right, does not give you the right to hurt your spouse. 

As you are addressing the problem always be mindful of how you desire the other person to feel once you both have solved the issue together. Winning an argument is never better than addressing the problem in a mature way that honors the self esteem and self efficacy of the other person. Problems come and go. Your relationship should always be bigger than your challenges.

6. Lose to Win (A):  Talk about humility. This is a difficult pill to swallow, especially for an Olympian who loves to win! But early in our marriage I realized that sometimes I would fight for the “win” at all costs. No matter what it took, right or wrong, I had to win.

I soon learned that what was more important than winning was a sound and happy marriage, and that my mate wasn’t crushed after an argument. Sometimes this meant not being so hell bent on making sure he knew I was right.

What’s so bad about being wrong? What’s so bad about losing an argument?  It’s the perfect chance to say “I’m sorry” and truly mean it.  Now, I’m not saying to always back out, just remember that you and your hubby are a team. If you choose this path, make sure it’s for the right reasons. Which is because you are valuing the relationship more than another win in your record book (the one you shouldn’t be keeping anyway).

7. Be Mindful Of Your Spouses Personality (B):  Like experiences, your spouse’s personality can often impact the emotional tension of the present situation. When personalities clash it’s very easy to get distracted, turning your focus away from the problem and onto the other person. Your spouse’s personality should not be a surprise to you. If their personality is loud and demonstrative, the chances are very good that they will be loud and demonstrative when things get heated.

The last thing you want to do is attack their personality right in the middle of a spat. If their behavior is making you feel bad say something like, “I know you don’t mean to put me down, but when you express your point this way I can’t help but feel attacked when I know we both want what’s best.”  By remembering the other person’s personality you give yourself permission to not take things too personally, and honor both the other person and yourself at the same time.

8. Control Your Tone (A):  A conversation can go from a simple disagreement to a full on war in a matter of minutes if you begin to speak louder. Sure we all get irritated. Yes I know you want your point to be heard, but just because you get louder doesn’t make the other person ‘hear’ you.

What actually happens when we raise our voice is the other person starts to get more upset, and begins to shut down (and shut you out). Most times they will then raise their voice to be ‘heard’ over you and as a consequence no one is actually heard at all.  Master yourself by controlling your tone and the outcome can come to a happier conclusion much faster. This is the only way your partner will truly hear you.

9. Be Tough On The Problem & Not On The Person (B):  Always remember, as my Granny used to always say, “everything is figure-out-able!” No matter how challenging the problem is, inherent in every problem are the keys to its own solution. The trick is to work the problem and support the other person through the process. It is very easy to allow your frustration with the problem to spill over onto the other person.

No matter the origins of the problem, or who is technically at fault, take advantage of the fact that when both parties take full ownership of the situation grace, humility, and mutual respect automatically cause your love for each other to deepen -and a new level of intimacy will actually be experienced while you both get tough on the problem together.

 10. Finish Well (A):  When we have our disagreements we always like to recap to make sure that there are no loose ends. We never walk out on the discussion until it’s completely over. Even if you chose to voluntarily lose the fight make sure you aren’t holding on to resentment or play the martyr.  In addition, if you have messed up and yelled at your spouse, or fired some unkind words don’t leave the conversation without asking for forgiveness.

Before you leave the room make sure you both acknowledge your love for one another, and if you are a prayerful person go ahead and pray together. Later on that night, go ahead and get your groove on remembering that a fight is only momentary, but your love and your marriage will always stand the test of tough times.

YOUR TURN: What are some other great rules of engagement that you’ve lived by to help you get through tough times together?  Leave your comments below.

The Right Way to Recover From a Fight {3 Practical Tips Worth Remembering}

The Right Way to Recover from a Fight

It is not often the prolific yet down-to-earth Kathi Lipp is able to guest post for us here at Happy Wives Club.

She’s the author of The Marriage Project and a ton of other wonderful books, she speaks, she teaches and when she’s not doing one of those three things she’s wife, mom and friend.

I’m honored to have here today with some very practical advice. 

Purposing to agree to disagree or resolve an issue without it resulting in an argument is always the goal.  But when that fails…here are 3 tips to recovering quickly…and the right way.

Until Monday…make it a great weekend!

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It had been a rough day.

My husband, Roger, and I both had surgery within the past month, and neither of us was getting a lot of sleep.

On top of being tired and in pain, we were both feeling the pressure of not accomplishing the things we needed to get accomplished with work, kids, church and life.

And that’s when the fight happened.

No, it wasn’t a knock-drag-out kinda fight. (Roger has much too calm a personality for our disagreements to escalate.) But he felt he was right and I wasn’t respecting that, and I had a different view point and didn’t feel I was being heard.

It lead to some not so uplifting and encouraging words.

These tensions happen to the best of couples. But how do you recover when there is obviously something strained between you? Here are a few techniques that, after the initial blow up, I use to help me (and us) get back to normal:

1.    Step Away

No, this doesn’t mean stomping off in a huff and slamming a door along the way just to make sure he knows that you’re mad. (Trust me, he knows…) This means getting a glass of water from the kitchen, taking the dog for a walk, or any other tactic to get you out of the red zone to stop you from escalating the situation.

2.    Stop Making Your List

Yep – it’s easy to start tallying all the ways your husband said the wrong thing, said it in the wrong way, and at the wrong time. This is where as an adult, I need to start looking at how I contributed to the blow up. Yes- I may have had valid points, or even been in the right, but this isn’t a customer service rep who isn’t helpful, this is my husband who I love and will be dealing with for a long time. Figure out your pattern and how it can be more constructive next time.

3.    The Objective is to Resolve – Not to Win

As long as you’re fighting, no one on either side will be heard and nothing will be resolved. Start sentences with phrases like, “When you said ___________, I felt ___________.”  Or, “What I heard you saying was _____________.”  These sentences keep you from blaming, and give both you and your husband time to work towards a resolution. And a resolution is the only way that either of you “win”.

Small conflicts in a marriage are healthy – and help you practice for when the bigger issues come up. Take these three steps to heart so that you and your husband will feel closer after a disagreement, not further apart.

Question:  How do you and your husband recover from a fight (or disagreement)?

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3 Tips to Avoid Fighting With Your Spouse

3 Tips to Avoid Fighting with Your Spouse

3 Tips to Avoid Fighting With Your Spouse

When I read this post by HWC contributor, Kim Hall, the first thing I thought was “Yes!”  I have always been a true believer that arguments aren’t a requirement in marriage; quite the contrary.  

In the this post, Kim gives three things you can do to successfully get your point across without saying something you are likely to later regret.

Until tomorrow…make it a great day!

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Does your marriage ever hit rough spots?

Perhaps they are about time, money, the kids, or different visions for the future.

Whatever the topic, there are often times hot buttons that can set you off, and the two of you head predictably down that old rocky path to nowhere.

Tempers flare, thoughts pop out, and words burn.

Instead of traveling down that rocky path, I have three suggestions that have worked in our home to avoid fighting, and I believe they will help create a smoother journey in yours as well.

1. When you feel like yelling, speak quietly. Take slow, deep, tummy breaths, and give yourself a few moments before responding.  Hang your jaw for good measure during those moments, too. Yes, you may look and feel silly—I always do!—but it makes it much harder to feel angry. Be very intentional about the volume and tone of your voice and the words you choose.

Food for thought: If a fiery response from your last argument were the last words you ever said to your spouse, would you be grateful or regretful?

2. When you feel like condemning, be curious and questioning. Did you know you can’t be curious and angry at the same time? Being curious helps keep you calmer and more relaxed. Being curious also helps to create an environment where you come together to solve a problem rather than being at odds over it. Asking quality questions will help you gather useful information that will illuminate and help solve problems.

Food for thought: If this was a good friend instead of your hubby, would you respond with more understanding?

3. When you feel like withholding affection, be abundantly generous with your loveThis requires letting go of hurts and annoyances and remembering that your relationship is bigger than dishes in the sink, dirty laundry on the floor, or trash that needs to go out. When you are talking things over, sit side by side. Relax your muscles and take more deep, slow breaths.  Recall how you felt when you were dating, and reach out and touch your husband. (No worries about mixed signals: Remember Sheila’s post about physical touch not being a down payment.)

Food for thought: If you had just five minutes left on this earth, would that change your perspective and behavior?

All of these strategies take practice.

Be patient, graceful and forgiving with yourself and your spouse.

Recognize your habits will take time to change, as they generally have taken years to form.

Practice will never make your communication perfect, but it will certainly make it more peaceful and productive!

Question: What tips can you share to avoid fighting with your husband?

May you find happiness wherever you are!

Kim @ Too Darn Happy

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Happy Wives Club Book

 

THE NEW YORK TIMES® BEST-SELLING BOOK: It’s been described as, “Like Eat, Pray, Love but not down on marriage.” Make sure to check out the Happy Wives Club book.  I had the great honor of traveling to 12 countries on 6 continents, interviewing couples happily married 25 years or more, with 1 mission only: to find out what makes marriages happy…and keeps them that way.  It’s a marriage book like none other.  Guaranteed.