Honesty and communication are the foundational building blocks of every relationship. Communication leads to clarity, understanding, and agreement. From honesty stems trust, respect, and intimacy. Combined, these are two necessary components to creating any serious long-lasting connection.
But what do I mean by honesty and communication?
Honesty is being truthful to your partner at all times. Serious relationships leave no room for lying and sneaking around. If you feel the need to be dishonest about something, then there is a deeper issue that should be addressed. You have to be honest with yourself about your wants, needs, and boundaries too. Relationships take sacrifice, but never of yourself.
However, relationships do require the occasional sacrifice of comfort when you have to honestly communicate with your partner. No more hiding how you feel out of fear of being seen as emotional, needy, too much, too little, or anything in between. Your feelings are valid.
Still, your expectations are only your expectations. Your partner cannot know them unless you communicate with them.
You know what they say about assuming…
Never assume your thoughts and feelings are automatically understood by your partner. This is the root of the majority of miscommunications. While you may be sad and think your partner is ignoring you and being insensitive, they may be wondering why you are suddenly quiet and interpret it as anger. In which case, both could communicate honestly with one another and recognize the miscommunication.
Don’t wait until something becomes a problem.
If you’re upset, communicate that calmly. If your partner is expressing their own feelings or thoughts, listen to them calmly. Listening is a key component of communication. It’s not all about getting your point across. Remember: you are working with your partner, not battling against them.
During more significant conversations, take turns listening to one another without interruption. After one person speaks, try having the other person provide a quick summary to repeat what was said to demonstrate active listening. This also helps avoid potential misunderstandings as well.
So, what do you do if your current partner isn’t the best with honesty or communication?
- Set an example. Practice open and honest communication with your partner. You can provide a comfortable and trusting atmosphere and example by sharing your feelings, expectations, and needs.
- Be patient. Know that it can be incredibly difficult for one to be honest with themselves, let alone others. This goes double for those they care about. However…
- Find your limits and set boundaries. If your relationship makes you too unhappy or uncomfortable, it may be time to reanalyze your situation. A lack of communication and dishonesty are red flags in relationships.
Honesty and communication are crucial to making any relationship work, including not only romantic connections but friendships and family relations as well. Just as much as your partner deserves the truth from you, you deserve honest communication from them. Want to make your relationship long-lasting in a healthy way? Start being honest and communicating.