Keys for Less Stressful Communication

• Use a calm voice
• Be direct and respectful
• Avoid sarcasm
• Use "I need" rather than "you should"
• Ask for clarification if you need to
• Take deep breaths
• Call a time out if needed
• Don't assume they "just know"
• Don't use "you never" or "you always"
• Take your problems to a licensed therapist if you find yourselves in the same arguments over and over, if names are being called, or there is any hint of violence

According to costofwedding.com, an average wedding costs $26,542. The average cost of six premarital counseling sessions is $800. The cost of divorce is immeasurable.

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We Gotta Laugh

Relationship Humor: The Silent Treatment

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight.

Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and lose), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He then left it where he knew she would find it.

The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to confront his wife to see why she hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper read, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."

Author: Anonymous

... and Dream!

A Relationship Can Be Nice...

But learning to love YOU is the nicest gift of all. How can you expect someone else to treat you better than you treat yourself? What would your life look like if you set a goal of treating yourself in a healthy, loving, patient manner each day? Make a point of speaking as kindly to yourself as you do to others!