When you’re in a long-term relationship, you’re bound to hit some bumps in the road. Fighting is never a fun affair, but it is sometimes necessary to resolve an argument and work out a negotiation that ends up best for the parties involved. But you may find yourself stuck in an endless loop of fighting, rather than getting to the point where you can resolve something. And this begs the question, is there a way to fight successfully?

While it’s inevitable that all couples argue, there is a way to do it that can end up being a healthy and productive use of your time. In this article, we’ll explain an easy-to-follow recipe for successful fights in a relationship. It might just be what saves you and your partner from repeating a cycle of negative arguments.

For more information on marriage counseling, get in touch with Caree Brown today.

Take Turns

Start out slow when you feel like arguing. Although it can be difficult to try and listen to your partner talk about things that may or may not be true, the key to a successful relationship is to give them their time to talk. And in turn, they should be able to give you your turn to talk, acknowledging your words with a listening ear. Remember that there is a big difference between listening and waiting your turn.

Make Some Rules

If you and your partner know that you’re about to argue, you may want to discuss setting some ground rules with them first. If you’ve been fighting with your partner for a long time, one of you may have said something regrettable. To prevent mistakes like that from happening again, and by making sure that fights don’t turn to blows, you can establish some rules so that you know the argument will never turn in a sour direction.

Give the Benefit of the Doubt

Although this may be a difficult habit to establish at first, it’s necessary to give your partner the benefit of the doubt. This is a much healthier approach to an argument than jumping to conclusions because that leaves the impression that you or your partner are assuming incorrect things about one another. If your partner expresses concern to you, you need to be there to listen, rather than immediately jumping to the resolution that they want to leave or exit the relationship. The key to having a healthy relationship is to acknowledge each other’s concerns and give the benefit of the doubt that everything will work out okay.

Don’t Run Away

If your instinct is to avoid a fight at all costs, you may be making way for an unhealthy relationship. Sweeping problems under the rug can build up and come back to bite you harder later. It’s scary to think that a question or concern might turn into an argument, but the important conversations must be had for the two of you to get over this hurdle and establish a healthy relationship in the long run.

Marriage Counseling

Ultimately, the most important thing to remember at the end of the day is that you and your partner are a team. You will have your arguments, you will have your disagreements, and you will have your opposing points of view, but remember that you have chosen to be together and that your healthy and wonderful relationship is worth every single obstacle that comes your way. Life will continue after the argument, things will cool down, and you will work out a way to negotiate on friendly terms.

A professional third party is another great option for resolving issues and unsettled arguments. If you think marriage counseling is a good step for your partnership, be sure to contact Caree Brown as soon as possible. Clients can find all the professional help and resources they need to get started. For more information, contact Caree online or by calling (925) 943-6764 to set up an appointment.