YOUR RELATIONSHIP NEEDS SERIOUS WORK ON COMMUNICATION IF YOU NOTICE THESE HABITS IN YOU OR YOUR PARTNER. Last week we talked about how good communication sustains a relationship. In other words, poor communication needs to be worked on for a lasting relationship right? But poor communication is not easily noticed in a relationship, it can go unnoticed until the relationship gets to it breaking point where the couple experiences emotional disconnection. How then can you notice a poor communication to get it worked on before it damages your relationship ? Seeing these habits in your relationship is a sign that communication is poor: - Not speaking what you want loud because you feel he knows you and should know what you want. - Giving each other the silent treatment when there’s a misunderstanding - Refusing to compromise or listen to the other person's perspective - Having the same arguments over and over without reaching a resolution - Assuming that you know what your partner thinks or feels - Getting Defensive During an Argument - Interruption in a Conversation - You feel like you can't talk to your partner because they’ll misunderstand you. - You’re not able to say “no “ when your partner is about doing some thing that doesn’t t work for you In addition to last week’s tips for healthy communications. There are four parts to the process of communication: 1. The sender (the person communicating) 2. The encoding of the message (how you translate the message from thought into words or text) and your channel of communication (how you choose to relay it) 3. The receiver (the person hearing the message) 4. The feedback. Communication is said to be effective when the message from the "sender" is delivered successfully to the "receiver" and relayed back through the "feedback." This means they both have the same understanding of the message and there's no confusion over the meaning or intent. And for this to be successful, always choose the right time to talk, use face to face conversations as much as possible and always listen actively. You can revisit last week’s post for more tips.