Effective Communication:The Foundation for a Sustainable Marital Relationship
You can never talk about great buildings without thinking about the foundation on which those building are built on. Sometimes, we admire and love great building without valuing the importance of the foundation. Without strong and powerful foundations, there wouldn’t be anything like strong and beautiful buildings.
The beauty of every magnificent building depends on its foundation. For our marital relationship to stand and be admired by others, it must be built on the foundation of communication. It may seem like a simple part of our relationships, but getting the foundation right is incredibly important in the sustainability of our relationships.
Divorces and break down occur in most relationships that have not taken time to work and build strong communication foundation for their relationship. When we think of foundations, great and massive structures come into mind. This is what actually provides support for a building to be built. The level of the foundation determines the level of building. To have a great relationship, you need a greater level of effective communication to carry the relationship.
This therefore means that communication plays a major role in bonding couples. This can be in the form of nonverbal and verbal depending on the type of relationship one has with their partner. Our body movements, gestures, facial expressions, and hand movements all communicate something to our partners. When we engage in communication with our partners, we are able to express our ideas and feelings and it helps us to understand the emotions and thoughts of the other partner.
When communication goes wrong, partners develop the wrong feelings towards each other and even other people. It is no doubt that communication plays a vital role in building the relationships of couples. This however indicates that each partner or party must learn to cultivate the habit of communicating effectively to their partners so as to see their relationship blossom like a watered garden.
Communication is like a vital organ system (the heart) that allows the free movement of ideas, thoughts, dreams, and emotional feelings to be aired to strengthen the relationship. When you observe the heart organ, it is responsible for the blood flow to the whole body.
Therefore, when the heart fails, the body dies because there wouldn’t be blood flow (oxygen) to the other parts of the body. It is possible therefore to say that communication is the heart organ of every relationship; which means that, when communication fails, everything within it also dies.
Communication can be seen as manure or fertilizer enhancing the strength and providing nutrients to our relationships. This allows our relationship as plants to grow. When communication is missing in any kind of relationship, the relationship suffers from nutrient deficiency and stops growing. When couples fail to talk about things within their relationships, it prevents vital and valuable things to be discussed and shared to demonstrate love and care to each other.
Couples should be ready and prepared to invest into their relationships through effective communication. They should never avoid talking about issues for fear of their partner’s reaction. This is because for our relationships to function and thrive properly, things must be talked about and aired effectively until all the issues at hand are resolved.
Mistakes are everywhere and our relationships are not different but the attitude or approach towards it is what determines how we overcome the mistakes and hurdles of communication. No matter how well we think of our partners, we should spend time to talk about things to avoid misunderstandings in our relationships.
Most people use nonverbal form of communication in their relationships, however. It is the best form of talking and resolving issues within the relationship. Every relationship is different from others and it is vital that each couple discovers and identifies the best form of communication for them in discussing and sharing ideas.
Although nonverbal communication plays a major role in relationships by helping to convey meaning in different ways, it is important for couples to choose their words carefully to help communicate effectively.
It is much better and easier to identify any shortcomings which can be improved on when couples learn to talk about things most often. For couples who are serious about the longevity of their relationship and to limit or reduce unnecessary misunderstandings, it is crucial to lay more emphasis on talking about things within the relationship openly and honestly.
When things are talked about in a relationship, it helps to diffuse any form of anger, removes guilt and builds stronger and better union within the relationship. Each partner gets a fair deal from the relationship especially when they communicate effectively in ways that both understand. This enables them to help each other achieve a common goal.
Without effective communication, nothing can be achieved in a marital relationship. It is evident that trust and confidence can be built in a relationship where communication is seen as a priority. Partners have stronger understanding and confidence in each other and are able to share thoughts and emotions in ways that encourage both parties to support and help if need be.
TO BE CONTINUED…….
Ferdinard Senyo Lawson Author: is a Creativity Award (CA-AWARD, 2015) Best Life Coach & Best Public Speaker Winner, True African Heritage Awards (BEST AUTHOR, 2015) and Beffta. Founder & C.E.O of Ferdinard Lawson Empowerment & Inspirational Agency C.I.C ( FLEiA.CIC) in UK, Public Health Professional, Author, Lifestyle Coach, Transformational & Public Speaker ,Publishing Consultant and columnist He is an international speaker.
