Not playing together anymore
Life is busy, but when you realise that you’ve stopped making time to do things together and enjoying each other’s company, the relationship is in trouble. Being in a relationship is about wanting to be with that person because you, well……you just love spending time together and sharing your life with them. Fix this as a priority. It doesn’t have to be anything ground breaking, a walk with the dog, a drink in the pub, a meal out, easy things.
Not engaging
We all multi task from time to time and have conversations whilst doing at least another 2 or 3 other things at the same time. The problem occurs when you feel that you are constantly not heard, that you are constantly side lined for texting, emails, watching TV or just have a feeling that all the right sounds are being made but your partner isn’t REALLY listening. ENGAGE with your partner and really hear what they are saying, not because you think you should, but because you are genuinely interested in how they are, how their day went, and most importantly that you care.
Criticism
Part of a normal relationship is that there always a few underlying irritants about each other. When these turn into full on criticism that becomes a constant feature, you need to address this quickly. A successful relationship is one where we are aware of each other’s faults but find ways to manage them that keep both people happy. Whatever the irritant is, there is always a way to negotiate a solution. Sometimes involving a third party helps to apply a bit of lateral thinking on the problem rather than being stuck within the boundary of your own opinion.