How to Encourage Open Communication and Discuss Your Feelings With Your Partner
Communication in relationships, including talking to your partner about your feelings, doesn’t always come to everyone with ease. There can be a sense of difficulty expressing emotions both ‘big’ and ‘small,’ of opening up communication and being completely honest with each other. In some situations, it can be challenging to admit how we feel internally to ourselves; discussing your feelings, then, might feel near impossible!
With a shift in mindset and clear communication goals, couples can learn to have better conversations by discussing things more directly with one another, being candid about how they feel, and creating a space that feels safe for everyone involved to approach each other. If you want to reach this point in your relationship, try these suggestions below:
Emphasize a desire for open communication
Don’t let it be a secret to your partner that expressing feelings is crucial to you and the future of your relationship with them. Because mental health and love are often deeply intertwined, it’s important to feel comfortable speaking candidly with your significant other about your day-to-day lives, as well as the more intimate thoughts and feelings that surface. This is the foundation for communicating better in the future.
Identify your communication styles
There are four main styles of communication: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive, and assertive. Determine what type you and your partner most identify with and, if not ‘assertive,’ decide how you can work towards this communicative method. Assertive communicators can say “no,” feel comfortable discussing their wants and needs, and allow others involved in the conversation to speak openly (not cutting others off from talking or getting easily frustrated by opposing perspectives).
Always be honest with each other
The saying “honesty is the best policy” is true, especially when discussing your feelings. Whether talking about your needs or trying to figure out how to discuss the topic of sex with your partner, you must allow yourself the chance to open up and be completely truthful and authentic in your conversation. Likewise, when your partner needs to talk to you, allow them to speak openly.
Don’t let negative feelings fester
One of the significant components of open communication is to avoid dwelling on situations that bring up negative emotions (whether it’s sadness, anger, or anything in between). Touch on this as soon as you feel comfortable, letting your partner know how you’re feeling in the moment and — if you’re able to determine it — why you feel that way.
If this is something you or your partner are prone to, consider couples therapy as a method of regularly opening up with a mediator to help you both work through the hiccups in life together.
Talk about things you might not normally discuss
It’s natural to feel apprehensive about discussing specific topics with people, whether it’s your significant other or a casual friend. However, when it comes to talking to your partner about your feelings and pushing for open communication, this sometimes requires you to step out of your comfort zone to (at the very least) acknowledge and touch on some subjects you might not otherwise speak about to someone else. While your partner can still support you without knowing any details, they can help you through difficult times more effectively with background knowledge on where your sources of stress come from.
Schedule monthly check-ins
Even when it seems there’s nothing of great importance to talk about, a monthly check-in with your partner can help build emotional intimacy with one another and maintain passion in the relationship. Whether you’re touching on subjects that might shift the future of your relationship or finding out how their month has affected them emotionally, this is a great way to make sure you’re both on the same page moving forward.
Ask them how you can communicate better
An inability to express emotions can hinder a relationship from progressing in the direction you want it to. If you find it challenging to communicate with your significant other or feel that you might not be communicating with them effectively, ask them how they best receive information. With this knowledge, you can work together to share conversations in ways you can both fully understand.
Talking to your partner about your feelings and stressing about how to express your feelings, while a potential concern for anyone, no longer has to be a stressful point for you both. By learning how to communicate better with yourself (internally) and your significant other, conveying how you feel will become less of a struggle.
In achieving this, you can ultimately have a better relationship.
Do you agree that talking to your partner about your feelings and learning to communicate better is essential to a healthy relationship? Does discussing your feelings and encouraging open communication make you feel better about yourself and your romantic relationship? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
