When it comes to relationships, you have probably heard the saying communication is key before. Of course, it’s easy to tell people that they should communicate as much as possible, but how exactly does that manifest itself? We’re never really taught how we can communicate effectively in a way that is good for getting our point across, but is also open for a constructive reply.

Communication can be defined as a lot of things, but one of the most accurate descriptions is “the successful conveying and sharing of ideas and feelings.” You need to both be a great listener and also good at expressing your feelings. If you and your partner can do this, you put yourselves in the best position to overcome any obstacles that may come your way.

Is Your Relationship Breaking Down?

Of course, while communicating can be an effective way to overcome any issues that you and your partner have, there are some situations where you realize your relationship needs to come to an end. If you’re married, this can be an incredibly difficult situation and decision to come to, but that doesn’t mean that things should be hard for you. One of the hardest decisions can be how to choose a family law lawyer, but with Paula D. Kleinman, you will be in safe hands and the situation will be made as easy as possible. In the meantime, if you are hoping to try and communicate through your problems, you may want to follow the below advice.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

Communication doesn’t start and stop at asking someone what they want for dinner, it is about being able to dig deep and ask and answer questions that don’t have a definitive response. This doesn’t mean making everything a heart-to-heart, but rather than asking something with a yes or no answer, such as “did you have a good day?”, instead, try asking “how was your day?” Sure, the response may well be the same or very similar, but you are giving your partner a chance to properly open up rather than just say yes or no.

Pick Up on Their Nonverbal Cues

Your partner may well say something such as “my day was fine” but you should listen to their tone and work out what they actually mean when they say that. Do they sound irritated? Upset? Angry? If so, you should ask them if they are actually feeling that way or simply let them know that if they are not feeling the way they say they are then you are there for them. The tone and attitude of someone gives away a whole of a lot more than their words do.

Set Aside Time to Talk

If you set aside specific time to talk about your feelings and recent things your partner has done that you like or dislike, you can massively improve on your relationship because you have a better understanding of what is going well and what needs work.