Seven tips to improve communication with your partner

If you have problems with your partner or have noticed that you should improve your communication with others, follow these tips.

Seven tips to improve communication with your partner
How to improve communication with your partner? Photo by charlesdeluvio / Unsplash

Assertive communication is a tool with which we can improve our relationship with people; this is about expressing and understanding everything that improves a human relationship, feelings, ideas, disagreements, and agreements, allows us to better achieve shared goals, that is, that which adds value helps to have a healthy and happy life.

One of the most common problems among couples, and people, is that they know little, ignore or inadequately apply communication. There are two reasons why it is difficult to communicate, for example, that people have different perspectives on the same situation. This is due to various factors, such as culture, personalities, and expectations.

Given this, the use of assertive communication could help us to improve our relationships, understand each other better and overcome the communication barriers we create daily. If you have problems with your partner or have noticed that you should improve your communication with others, we recommend following these tips.

Seven tips to improve communication with your partner

Listen to understand and not just respond.
Avoid generalizing with words like "always" or "never."
Don't assume your partner is guessing your thoughts.
If you made a mistake talk about it.
Watch your verbal and nonverbal communication.
Respect each other's opinions.
Learn and apply the difference between "Request vs. Demand" and "Ask vs. Accuse".
If you have conflicts, learn how to communicate, first clearly define the problem.

You must know how to express and name the feelings that each of the parties involved causes such disagreement and find viable alternatives to resolve and achieve the possible agreements for both parties. Assertive communication is positive, because:

Respects one's own and others' rights.
Directly expresses their thoughts without attacking anyone.
Respects the other by expressing one's own.
Takes into account the needs and feelings of others.
Is satisfied with himself/herself.
Conveys security and respect.
Looks his partner in the eye.

There are different kinds of assertiveness that we must learn to manage better, they are:

Positive: it expresses affections and positive feelings and helps to recognize what we like.

Negative: helps the person to say no when he/she does not agree and to express what makes us feel bad.

Empathic: In this, we express our desires and feelings after having recognized the situation and the feelings of the other person.

Progressive: This occurs when, despite our efforts to be empathetic, the other person does not respond positively.

The above is one of the reflections of Andrea Villanueva Mariscal of the Autonomous University of Guadalajara press bulletin.