Relationship Hurdle: Communication
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Make an actual appointment with each other, If you live together, put the cell phones on vibrate, or let voicemail pick up your calls.
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If you can’t “communicate” without raising your voices, go to a public spot like the library, park, or restaurant where you’d be embarrassed if anyone saw you screaming.
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Set up some rules. Try not to interrupt until your partner is through speaking, or ban phrases such as “You always …” or “You never ….”
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Use body language to show you’re listening. Don’t doodle, look at your watch, or pick at your nails. Nod so the other person knows you’re getting the message, and rephrase if you need to. For instance, say, “What I hear you saying is that you feel as though you have more chores at home, even though we’re both working.” If you’re right, the other can confirm. If what the other person really meant was, “Hey, you’re a slob and you create more work for me by having to pick up after you,” he or she can say so, but in a nicer way.
Relationship Hurdle: Sex
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Plan, plan, plan. Fay suggests making an appointment, but not necessarily at night when everyone is tired. Maybe during Saturday afternoon nap or a “before-work quickie.”or Friday night for a sleepover. “When sex is on the calendar, it increases your anticipation,” Fay says. Changing things up a bit can make sex more fun, too, she says. Why not have sex in the kitchen? Or by the fire? Or standing up in the hallway?
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Learn what truly turns you and your partner on by each of you coming up with a personal “Sexy List,” suggests California psychotherapist Allison Cohen. Swap the lists and use them to create more scenarios that turn you both on.
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If your sexual relationship problems can’t be resolved on your own, Fay recommends consulting a qualified sex therapist to help you both address and resolve your issues.
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Be honest about your current financial situation. If things have gone south, continuing the same lifestyle is unrealistic.
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Don’t approach the subject in the heat of battle. Instead, set aside a time that is convenient and non-threatening for both of you.
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Acknowledge that one partner may be a saver and one a spender, understand there are benefits to both, and agree to learn from each other’s tendencies.
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Don’t hide income or debt. Bring financial documents, including a recent credit report, pay stubs, bank statements, insurance policies, debts, and investments to the table.
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Don’t blame.
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Construct a joint budget that includes savings.
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Decide which person will be responsible for paying the monthly bills.
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Allow each person to have independence by setting aside money to be spent at his or her discretion.
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Decide upon short-term and long-term goals. It’s OK to have individual goals, but you should have family goals, too.
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Talk about caring for your parents as they age and how to appropriately plan for their financial needs if needed.
Relationship Hurdle: Struggles Over Home Chores
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Be organized and clear about your respective jobs in the home, Kouffman-Sherman says. “Write all the jobs down and agree on who does what.” Be fair so no resentment builds.
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Be open to other solutions, she says. If you both hate housework, maybe you can spring for a cleaning service. If one of you likes housework, the other partner can do the laundry and the yard. You can be creative and take preferences into account — as long as it feels fair to both of you.
Relationship Hurdle: Not Making Your Relationship a Priority
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Do the things you used to do when you were first dating: Show appreciation, compliment each other, contact each other through the day, and show interest in each other.
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Plan date nights. Schedule time together on the calendar just as you would any other important event in your life.
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Respect one another. Say “thank you,” and “I appreciate…” It lets your partner know that they matter.
Relationship Hurdle: Conflict
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You and your partner can learn to argue in a more civil, helpful manner, make these strategies part of who you are in this relationship.
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Realize you are not a victim. It is your choice whether you react and how you react.
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Be honest with yourself. When you’re in the midst of an argument, are your comments geared toward resolving the conflict, or are you looking for payback? If your comments are blaming and hurtful, it’s best to take a deep breath and change your strategy.
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Change it up. If you continue to respond in the way that’s brought you pain and unhappiness in the past, you can’t expect a different result this time. Just one little shift can make a big difference. If you usually jump right in to defend yourself before your partner is finished speaking, hold off for a few moments. You’ll be surprised at how such a small shift in tempo can change the whole tone of an argument.
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Give a little; get a lot. Apologize when you’re wrong. Sure it’s tough, but just try it and watch something wonderful happen.
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You can’t control anyone else’s behavior, the only one in your charge is you.
Relationship Hurdle: Trust
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You and your partner can develop trust in each other by following these tips:
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Be consistent.
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Be on time.
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Do what you say you will do.
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Don’t lie — not even little white lies to your partner or to others.
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Be fair, even in an argument.
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Be sensitive to the other’s feelings. You can still disagree, but don’t discount how your partner is feeling.
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Call when you say you will.
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Call to say you’ll be home late.
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Carry your fair share of the workload.
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Don’t overreact when things go wrong.
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Never say things you can’t take back.
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Don’t dig up old wounds.
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Respect your partner’s boundaries.
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Don’t be jealous.
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Be a good listener.

My name is Dr. Karanvir Singh. I am a psychotherapist, organizational psychologist, and researcher with over twelve years of experience supporting people through pain, uncertainty, transformation, and renewal. My work is not simply about symptoms or diagnoses; it is about people and the complexity of what it means to live, connect, and try to make sense of ourselves in an often unkind world.
