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Long Term Happy Relationships The following is an excerpt from an article I read today about a study of successful marriages. It concludes that what appears to make the difference are simple traits that are important to relationships of all kinds and are simple things that anyone and everyone needs to be more aware of in any kind of relationship. From the data they gathered, Gottman separated the couples into two major groups: the masters and the disasters. The masters were still happily together after six years. The disasters had either broken up or were chronically unhappy in their marriages. But what does physiology have to do with anything? The problem was that the disasters showed all the signs of arousal — of being in fight-or-flight mode — in their relationships. Having a conversation sitting next to their spouse was, to their bodies, like facing off with a saber-toothed tiger. “There’s a habit of mind that the masters have,” Gottman explained in an interview, “which is this: they are scanning their social environment for things they can appreciate and say thank you for. They are building this culture of respect and appreciation very purposefully. Disasters are scanning the social environment for partners’ mistakes.” The Clear Signs Contempt, they have found, is the number one factor that tears couples apart. People who are focused on criticizing their partners miss a whopping 50% of positive things their partners are doing and can even create negativity when it’s not there! People who give their partner the cold shoulder — deliberately ignoring the partner or responding minimally — damage the relationship by making their partner feel worthless and invisible, as if they’re not there, not valued. And people who treat their partners with contempt and criticize them do nothing but further the damage. Kindness (along with emotional stability) is the most important predictor of satisfaction and stability in a relationship. Kindness makes each partner feel cared for, understood and validated—feel loved. The hardest time to practice kindness is, of course, during a fight—but this is also the most important time to be kind. Letting contempt and aggression spiral out of control during a conflict can inflict irrevocable damage on a relationship. “Kindness doesn’t mean that we don’t express our anger,” Julie Gottman explained, “but the kindness informs how we choose to express the anger. You can throw spears at your partner. Or you can explain why you’re hurt and angry, and that’s the kinder path.” When people think about practicing kindness, they often think about small acts of generosity, like buying each other little gifts or giving one another back rubs every now and then. While those are great examples of generosity, kindness can also be built into the very backbone of a relationship through the way partners interact with each other on a day-to-day basis, whether or not there are back rubs and chocolates involved Another powerful kindness strategy revolves around shared joy. One of the telltale signs of the disaster couples studied, was their inability to connect over each other’s good news. When one person in the relationship shared the good news of, say, a promotion at work with excitement, the other would respond with wooden disinterest by checking his watch or shutting the conversation down with a comment like, “That’s nice.” As the normal stresses of a life together pile up—with , career, friends, in-laws, and other distractions crowding out the time for romance and intimacy—couples may put less effort into their relationship and let the petty grievances they hold against one another tear them apart. In most marriages, levels of satisfaction drop dramatically within the first few years together. But among couples who not only endure, but live happily together for years and years, the spirit of kindness and generosity guides them forward Spiritwoman ^i^ |
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Thanks for this invaluable blog Spirit - much appreciated
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11/25/2015 12:35 pm |
Hi Spirit: Sorry I didn't bother reading it because all my previous relationships ended in disaster and I'm not planning on having another one. 
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11/25/2015 1:36 pm |
This is just an excerpt. I read a lot, sometimes hours at a time and being a social worker and Spiritual practitioner most of my reading interests are related to human behavior and social issues and trends rather than politicians. Spiritwoman ^i^
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11/25/2015 1:39 pm |
I don't know exactly when it happened but the divorce rate in the United States exceeded the marriage rate awhile back. Living together "in Sin" as my Mom called it, is the norm now. My Dad has been gone for 13 years this Christmas and society has changed even more since then. He would not approve.  Fossil God Save America !! Spiritwoman ^i^
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11/25/2015 1:40 pm |
Thanks for this invaluable blog Spirit - much appreciated Spiritwoman ^i^
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11/25/2015 1:43 pm |
Hi Spirit: Sorry I didn't bother reading it because all my previous relationships ended in disaster and I'm not planning on having another one. Spiritwoman ^i^
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11/25/2015 1:45 pm |
If you are like most of us you can hope for the rest of your life, even if that is just today. Spiritwoman ^i^
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I enjoyed reading the excerpt..... so much truth in it. Those who choose to forgo legalizing their relationship nowadays should seriously consider a contract since, if they separate at some point, in some places they don't have the protections that a legalized union give them regarding accumulated goods and property.
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11/25/2015 3:40 pm |
I enjoyed reading the excerpt..... so much truth in it. Those who choose to forgo legalizing their relationship nowadays should seriously consider a contract since, if they separate at some point, in some places they don't have the protections that a legalized union give them regarding accumulated goods and property. Spiritwoman ^i^
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11/26/2015 9:01 am |
And the education continues. People are such fascinating creatures. Spiritwoman ^i^
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