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Common Relationship Killers
You Wanted Jim and Pam. Life Sent Ryan and Kelly.
You wanted Jim and Pam. Remember them? Despite all their ups and downs, they trusted each other, supported each other’s dreams and stayed best friends. Sickening, sure, but you wanted that too. Then real life showed up. Your relationship looked more like a mild version of Ryan and Kelly. A little dysfunctional. Maybe a little toxic. Toxic behaviors creep in whether you mean them to or not. Four of them can quietly kill a relationship. How many do you recognize?
Say Sorry Before Your Pride Does the Talking
Sometimes partners hurt each other without meaning to. A joke goes too far. Their cooking gets criticized a little bit too much. When your partner is truly hurt, that is your sign to apologize.
Avoiding that apology, or never giving one, is the first habit that can kill a relationship. On the outside it can look like pride. Underneath, it is often fear. It can be scary to feel inadequate or guilty, so the word gets stuck.
Think about the last time your partner looked hurt and you said nothing. What stopped you? It may not have been a lack of love. It may have been the fear of looking small.
