Communication is key. But what if you don’t have the keys to your communication?
By now, you realize that both you and your spouse communicate in different ways. You also (hopefully) realize that in order to successfully navigate a lifetime of wedded bliss, you need to understand when she is communicating a particular emotion or when she is just communicating using her natural style.
For example, you may interpret your wife’s short stories about work as being closed off. Why doesn’t she want to share about her day? Her natural style may cause her to be brief and just hit the high points. She may have given you all of the facts she deemed relevant. In her mind, the story is over. In yours, you’re wondering if she’s mad.
There are several tools and scientific tests on the market to determine personality style and communication method. My favorite is the DiSC profile.
No test is better than the other, they’re just different.
Regardless of which test your choose, you need answer questions about yourself honestly. It isn’t helpful to anyone if you answer the way you think you’d like to be perceived. Honest answers give you insight into who you are as a person.
Once you have both completed the same test, share the results. You might finally understand her quirk or why that coworker is always driving you insane.
Communication is vital to the success of your marriage. Ensuring that you understand the communication style of your spouse will help you communicate more clearly.
Skip the fights. Stop translating mixed messages. Be open, clear, direct, and always loving.
