Divided on political differences? How to make this a Win-Win!

2024-01-08T01:14:02+00:00Difference, Safety|

With the election just a few days away, we thought it would be perfect timing to answer a very interesting question from the Mike and Susan Dawson mailbag. One follower asked us this: “What do you do when you and your spouse are completely divided on political issues?” What a great question! Let’s explore that a little bit. First things first, let me say that this is not a political post. We aren’t discussing candidates, hot-button topics, or even who is right or wrong. But there does seem to be a bit of division in our country right now. And while it is fine to have our differences, it seems [...]

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Flooding-What is it and why is it so damaging to my Marriage?

2024-01-08T01:14:02+00:00Emotion, Flood|

We know what anger is. It’s our most volatile emotion. And while it’s natural to experience it, the damaging effects of too much anger (hurtful words, screaming, demeaning actions, aggressiveness, etc.) in our marriage can last for years and trigger intense emotions that sometimes lead to flooding. But wait. What is flooding, and why is it so damaging? You may not know the term flooding — yet! But in 70% of couples today, one or the other floods in the middle of conflict. This is very important because it is a fight or flight response to anger, which will only hurt our marriage more.   “I’ve had just about all [...]

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How to have stress-reducing conversations: Removing Negative Things From Your Marriage

2024-01-08T01:14:02+00:00Communication, Conflict|

One thing many couples struggle with is knowing how to handle the stresses of life together. Granted, there are a lot of stressors out there — job loss, finances, horrible bosses, and chronic illness or injury being just a few. But just when you’d think we’d turn to our spouse for stress-reducing conversations, we don’t. Instead of talking, sharing, listening, and empathizing, we yell, argue, take our stress out on each other, and say hateful things in the heat of the moment.  There is a lack of stress-reducing conversations. We’ve all been there, right? The initial reaction for one spouse is to lash out, which isn’t the answer. The other [...]

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Why couples should always start with the heart

2024-01-08T01:14:09+00:00Communication, Heart, Uncategorized|

Marriage is a gift from God. But no one said it was easy, even for those of us who think we have it all figured out. You know the feeling — one minute, everything is hunky-dory, and a shining example of a safe and connected marriage and the next, one or both of you is upset. There can be some really complicated “stuff” that got you to this point, and what makes matters worse is that even if you are both committed to working through it, you aren’t always sure where to start.  Most often we don't start with the heart. Here’s a tip from yours truly: couples should always [...]

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