Communication is the bedrock of relationships. Learning to deal with conflict in a healthy way is the key to maintaining a long-lasting, fulfilling partnership.
Our culture has a way of easily categorizing things in black and white terms. When we think of fighting with our partners, the impulse is to worry that it’s always unhealthy.
Not all affairs have to be physical. While we might think of infidelity as needing to have a sexual element, sometimes what we think are normal friendships actually cross boundaries.
Even when there’s no sex involved, an emotional affair is still a transgression. Many people say they would be more upset if their partner emotionally cheated than if they just had sex with someone else.
Quarantine showed the world how important our environments are to our mental health. Even as we move toward more acceptance of those in the LGBTQIA+ communities, queer people were much more likely to isolate in damaging environments.
Relationships take work. It’s easy to fall into autopilot mode, where the two of you are just going about your daily routines. When this happens, you might only be engaging in small talk and rarely having a real emotional connection.
Conflict will come up in every relationship at some point. But conflict doesn’t have to be chaotic, upsetting, or mean. In fact, it’s important to have good arguments!
Good relationships are built on healthy communication. Often, conflict arises when we aren’t communicating effectively. It’s important to learn how to say what you need to say to your partner without being accusative or demanding.
