Wifey’s & Gentlemen, 

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I am a sucker for positive and effective communication.

In my not-so-humble opinion, communication can make or break any and all types of relationships. This is especially true for those of us who are trying our hand at long-term-love; it is absolutely critical to communicate openly and honestly. Regardless of how long you’ve been with your partner or how happy you are in your relationship, we can all benefit from improving our communication skills.

I put together a list of quick tips you can implement TODAY, that can help enhance your skills and boost any relationship:

LOOK FOR NON-VERBAL CUES:

Understand your partner’s non-verbal cues.

Everyone has ways of physically expressing their thoughts and emotions. Many of these expressions are subconscious, meaning we don’t even realize we’re doing them! Pay attention to your partner’s non-verbal demonstrations of emotion; what are they like when feeling angry, annoyed, sad, hungry, or tired? Do they make faces or have certain nervous habits or ticks? What signs do you look for to know when they’re in a good mood? What environments or circumstances can quickly cheer them up when they’re feeling low? Noticing these cues can help you approach your partner in a more supportive and empathetic way.

OVER-COMMUNICATE:

Yes, even if you think it might be annoying.

One of the biggest problems I’ve noticed couples face is that they think they are GREAT communicators. While this might be true in theory, the execution isn’t as on point as they believe. Try an experiment, even for just a week, where you practice letting your partner know what you’re up to on a regular and consistent basis. This doesn’t mean you must report on every meal and bathroom break you take each day; find balance. Your partner will let you know if you’re doing too much! 

BE ENGAGED:

Engage with your partner’s stories.

Listen. If your significant other is telling you a story or talking to you about their day, show them that you’re really listening to them. Ask probing questions, be curious about their thoughts and feelings, get clarity if you don’t understand something they said, and make eye contact (don’t scroll through your phone or focus other external elements). 

ASK:

Ask for honest feedback from your partner on ways you both can improve.

Have an open conversation with each other to get on the same page about what’s working and what could use improvement in your relationship. Make sure you both take steps to really work on the things you’d like to change. Part of being a good communicator is ASKING your partner to communicate when you need to; weird right? WRONG! While it might feel a little weird at first, you’ll notice that it becomes easier and easier the more you do it. Your partner will be pleasantly surprised.

These small changes can instantly step up your communication game and improve your relationship with your partner.

Are you Single? Don’t worry! These tips can also be applied to friendships, relationships with family members, and relationships with coworkers. You can also keep them in your tool-kit when you’re ready to start dating.

So, what do you think? Do you believe that your communication skills are already on point or could you use a makeover? 

Let me know in the comments and feel free to ask questions if you’re interested in going deeper! I could talk about communication all day. 😉

Until Next time, 

Carry on Wifeys & Gents,

Love,

Mrs. Renai 

🙂 ❤ 

Be a lamb and tell your friends….