February 18 | Enhance the communication in your marriage with these tips!🗣️

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February 18, 2022

[/av_textblock] [/av_three_fifth][av_one_fifth min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' row_boxshadow='' row_boxshadow_color='' row_boxshadow_width='10' custom_margin='' margin='0px' mobile_breaking='' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' padding='0px' column_boxshadow='' column_boxshadow_color='' column_boxshadow_width='10' background='bg_color' background_color='' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' highlight='' highlight_size='' animation='' link='' linktarget='' link_hover='' title_attr='' alt_attr='' mobile_display='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_uid='av-3gwt3nh'] [/av_one_fifth] [/av_section] [av_section min_height='' min_height_pc='25' min_height_px='500px' padding='small' custom_margin='0px' custom_margin_sync='true' color='main_color' background='bg_color' custom_bg='#b33151' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' bottom_border_diagonal_color='#333333' bottom_border_diagonal_direction='' bottom_border_style='' custom_arrow_bg='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_element_hidden_in_editor='0' av_uid='av-kqv856ql'] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='custom' color='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg='']

tips & tricks for growth

have more effective communication in your marriage

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='' color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg=''] What are the keys to effective communication? Well, research on what makes marriage work shows that happy and healthy couples have a ratio of 5:1 positive to negative behaviors in their relationship. This means there are five times as many positive interactions between happy couples (i.e. listening, validating the other person, using soft words, expressing appreciation, affirmation, physical affection, compliments, etc.) as there are negative(i.e. raising one’s voice, stating a complaint, or expressing one’s anger).

Tips for improving the effectiveness of communication in your relationship:

☑️ Be intentional about spending time together.

☑️ Use more “I” statements and less “You” statements.

☑️ Be specific.

☑️ Avoid mind-reading.

☑️ Express negative feelings constructively.

☑️ Listen without being defensive.

☑️ Freely express positive feelings.

Improving your skills is great for your relationship! [/av_textblock] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='40' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_button label='SEE MORE ON EACH TIP' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello' link='manually,https://firstthings.org/effective-communication/?utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9W9kFvuc89ykATKFonV6ZsdJfaGkv0GFeILDCzJkad97dCaETVJce7V2be2kYg5ZPjhU_I' link_target='' size='small' position='center' label_display='' title_attr='' color_options='' color='custom' custom_bg='#b33151' custom_font='#ffffff' btn_color_bg='theme-color' btn_custom_bg='#444444' btn_color_bg_hover='theme-color-highlight' btn_custom_bg_hover='#444444' btn_color_font='theme-color' btn_custom_font='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7y74v' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='50' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='' color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg='']

handling toxic family members

[/av_textblock] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='' color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg=''] Have you ever noticed that every time you leave a certain family member’s presence, you feel worse than you did before you saw them? Have you ever noticed that your aunt gossips all the time? Or that your in-laws criticize your every move? Or that your own parents are more controlling now than ever? And what about that uncle who doesn’t care what you’re doing—he thinks it’s okay to show up whenever he wants. Toxic family members make your head hurt. They are poisonous to your health. They can drain you emotionally every time they are around.

How do you recognize toxic family members?

When you leave their presence, you often feel worse than you did before.
They want to control your life. They tell you the decisions you should make, how you should spend your money, and the people you should be friends with.
You feel that they seem to always criticize you—your parenting, your cooking, your house management, anything and everything.
They may be physically, verbally, or emotionally abusive.
They always “need” you to come to their rescue.

It’s important to deal with the toxicity. Your mental and emotional health—and maybe even your physical health—can depend on it. [/av_textblock] [av_hr class='invisible' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='40' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_button label='READ MORE' icon_select='no' icon='ue800' font='entypo-fontello' link='manually,https://firstthings.org/how-to-deal-with-toxic-family-members/' link_target='' size='small' position='center' label_display='' title_attr='' color_options='' color='custom' custom_bg='#b33151' custom_font='#ffffff' btn_color_bg='theme-color' btn_custom_bg='#444444' btn_color_bg_hover='theme-color-highlight' btn_custom_bg_hover='#444444' btn_color_font='theme-color' btn_custom_font='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7y74v' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_hr class='short' icon_select='yes' icon='ue808' font='entypo-fontello' position='center' shadow='no-shadow' height='50' custom_border='av-border-thin' custom_width='50px' custom_margin_top='30px' custom_margin_bottom='30px' custom_border_color='' custom_icon_color='' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv88ljq' admin_preview_bg=''] [av_one_full first min_height='' vertical_alignment='' space='' row_boxshadow='' row_boxshadow_color='' row_boxshadow_width='10' custom_margin='' margin='0px' mobile_breaking='' border='' border_color='' radius='0px' padding='0px' column_boxshadow='' column_boxshadow_color='' column_boxshadow_width='10' background='bg_color' background_color='' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' background_position='top left' background_repeat='no-repeat' highlight='' highlight_size='' animation='' link='' linktarget='' link_hover='' title_attr='' alt_attr='' mobile_display='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_uid='av-2w5yyf1'] [av_codeblock wrapper_element='' wrapper_element_attributes='' codeblock_type='' alb_description='' id='results' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kseps2mr'] [/av_codeblock] [/av_one_full] [av_section min_height='' min_height_pc='25' min_height_px='500px' padding='default' custom_margin='0px' custom_margin_sync='true' color='main_color' background='bg_color' custom_bg='#b33151' background_gradient_color1='' background_gradient_color2='' background_gradient_direction='vertical' src='' attachment='' attachment_size='' attach='scroll' position='top left' repeat='no-repeat' video='' video_ratio='16:9' overlay_opacity='0.5' overlay_color='' overlay_pattern='' overlay_custom_pattern='' shadow='no-border-styling' bottom_border='no-border-styling' bottom_border_diagonal_color='#333333' bottom_border_diagonal_direction='' bottom_border_style='' custom_arrow_bg='' id='' custom_class='' aria_label='' av_element_hidden_in_editor='0' av_uid='av-kqv856ql'] [av_textblock size='16' av-medium-font-size='' av-small-font-size='' av-mini-font-size='' font_color='custom' color='#ffffff' id='' custom_class='' av_uid='av-kqv7telh' admin_preview_bg='']

what we're lovin'

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share the love

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Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we've packed in here? Go ahead and share it with them!

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