How Do You Treat Your Spouse?
Many people would say that they treat their spouse quite well. However, it’s important to look at how you really treat your spouse each day. How many positive actions do you have compared to negative interactions?
How do you treat your spouse when you are at your best? What behaviors do you exhibit? How do you talk to your spouse and what things do you say? Now take a look at how you act during your worst moments? Do you treat your spouse differently when you are in a bad mood or after a bad day?
Another important question is, how do you treat your spouse in comparison to other people? Sadly, many people treat their co-workers, friends, and even strangers better than their spouse. For example, if you are in a bad mood, do you take it out on your co-workers? Do you say mean things to strangers you come in contact with? Hopefully not.
However, many people who would never behave this way to others treat their spouse poorly. After a bad day at work, they may yell at their spouse. Or when they are in a bad mood they are rude to their spouse. Although, everyone is entitled to a bad day, it is unfair to take it out on your spouse.
It’s also important to look at how many positive interactions you have with your spouse. This doesn’t mean just those neutral moments where you sit next to each other and watch television. Look at the times that you truly treat your spouse extra special. The frequency of these times should greatly outweigh the negative interactions you have with your spouse.
Some people don’t even know what to do to treat their spouse really well. If you’ve forgotten how to do so, it’s important to spend some serious time thinking about it. What does your spouse really like? What would your spouse really appreciate from you? This may range from joining your spouse for an activity, buying a special gift, or offering a backrub and a day off from household responsibilities.
A marriage requires plenty of positive, happy times. It’s important to put extra effort in treating your spouse special. Work hard on decreasing the negative interactions on those days where it may take extra effort to treat your spouse well.
Even after a marriage has failed, it is important to be civil in your interactions with your former spouse. Great article!