Category: Conflict

• ‘Fix’-ated on Changing Your Mate?

  

  Today we continue to unpack the many subtle ways our spouses can control us by talking today about the temptation to try to “fix” or change our spouse because he/she doesn’t do his/her part or do it correctly. This is very similar to the victim-mentality post I wrote about recently, but the emphasis is on…

  BethSteffaniak

  January 16, 2016

  About Me, Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Blaming, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Confrontation, Control, Criticism, Denial, Discouragement, False Beliefs, Magical Thinking, Nagging, Resentments, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Self-deception, Unity, Victim Mentality

  Anger, Blaming, Conflict, Denial, Fixer, Judgmental, Perspective, Responsibility, Self-examination

• Healthy Boundaries and Expectations for a Heart-to-Heart And Linkup!

  

  Today I’m continuing in the series that was born out of the results from my Men and Openness survey by unpacking a bit more what a wife (or any spouse for that matter) needs to keep in mind in a heart-to-heart. [Tweet “If you want to encourage openness, establish healthy boundaries and realistic expectations.”] Since…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 15, 2015

  Acceptance, Authenticity, Boundaries, Change, Codependency, Comfort, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Control, Emotions, Expectations, Listening Skills, Marriage, Perseverance, Proactive, Realistic Expectations, Respect, Responsibility, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Active Listening, Boundaries, Communication, Emotions, Perseverance, Realistic Expectations, Reflective Listening, Respect

• 3 Steps to Avoid a Parenting Power Struggle

  

  It’s easy to think that when your spouse does something that bugs you and you react, that you are making a conscious choice born out of your freewill to resist. But more times than not, you are allowing yourself to be controlled by your spouse’s actions or words. Today I want to continue the series…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 12, 2015

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Apologies, Attitude, Authenticity, Balance, Blaming, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Codependency, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Control, Discouragement, Enabling, False Beliefs, Forgiveness, Messy Mom’s and Dad’s, Motherhood, Negotiation, Parenthood, Proactive, Responsibility, Self-awareness, Toxic Baggage, Victim Mentality, Vulnerability, Wounds

  Apologizing, Baggage, Codependency, Confession, Negotiating, Parenting, Power Struggles, Responsibility, Wounds

• Steps that Encourage Your Man to Open Up with You

  

  I’m excited about today’s post because I get to focus on the positive communication techniques that wives (or husbands) can do to improve times of sharing and disclosure with their spouses. I’d like to reference the top three responses to the second question on the Men and Openness Survey that I conducted recently. I asked:…

  BethSteffaniak

  December 8, 2015

  Acceptance, Affirmation, Alienation, Attitude, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Communication, Conflict, Control, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Grace, Listening Skills, Men and Openness Series, Perseverance, Perspective, Realistic Expectations, Safety, Trust, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Active Listening, Communication, Empathy, Listening Skills, Openness, Safety, Vulnerability

• 5 Steps for a Successful Heart-to-Heart with Your Wife And Linkup

  

  Today, we’re going one step further in our discussion on “Men and Openness” by talking about … “talking about our feelings.” Based upon the Men and Openness survey I conducted recently, 53.45% of the men chose – “I don’t know how to articulate my feelings” as their second highest response to why opening up with…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 24, 2015

  Authenticity, Bonding, Boundaries, Change, Choices, Communication, Confession, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Confrontation, Emotions, Listening Skills, Marriage, Oneness, Perseverance, Perspective, Positive Focus, Prayer, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Communication, Confrontation, Emotions, Openness, Processing, Reflective Listening, Respect, Vulnerability

• Picking Hubby’s Brain on Openness

  Today I’m excited to kick-off a new video series called, “Picking Hubby’s Brain” where I will be exploring what my man thinks on topics that are a mystery to many of us women and wives—in particular to me! 😉 Today’s topic for exploration is on “Men and Openness.”  There’s so much wisdom and clarity on this…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 15, 2015

  Acceptance, Anger, Authenticity, Blaming, Christ-Centered, Comfort, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Emotions, Empathy, Encouragement, Gender Differences, Listening Skills, Love, Men and Openness Series, Positive Focus, Prayer, Safety, Self-sacrifice, Support, Validation, Video, Vulnerability

  Active Listening, Communication, Empathy, Listening, Men and Openness, Video, Vulnerability

• What Men Say About Opening Up And WW Linkup!

  

  Today we are diving into the first of the responses from the “Men and Openness” survey. The first question I posed to men was: What makes opening up and disclosing your feelings to your wife difficult? Here are the results … 65.52% – I am afraid my wife will become upset by my disclosures. 53.45%…

  BethSteffaniak

  November 10, 2015

  Acceptance, Alienation, Anger, Attitude, Authenticity, Avoidance, Blaming, Choices, Communication, Confessional Culture, Conflict, Criticism, Discouragement, Encouragement, Fear, Listening Skills, Marriage, Men and Openness Series, Positive Focus, Prayer, Respect, Safety, Support, Trust, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Communication, Confession, Conflict, Emotional Safety, Emotions, Openness, Safety, Vulnerability

• The Day I Walked Out on My Husband And WW Linkup

  

  Today we have Aimee Imbeau who blogs at A Work of Grace with us sharing a guest post and hosting Wedded Wednesday while I am on vacation. I hope you’ll welcome her with oodles of comments and encouragement! 😉 I was devastated by his careless words spoken the night before as I walked out my…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 27, 2015

  Abandonment, Acceptance, Affairs, Alienation, Anger, Betrayal, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Commitment, Conflict, Faith in God, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Grace, Negative Self-Talk, Pain, Perseverance, Positive Focus, Reconciliation, Redemption, Resentments, Self-Reflection, Trials, Truth, Wedded Wednesday

  Acceptance, Forgiveness, God’s Redemption, Mercy, Perseverance, Proactive, Rejection, Trust in God

• A Wife’s Perspective on Men and Openness And WW Linkup!

  

  In a couple of weeks I will be diving into a series on “Men and Openness” that’s based upon a survey that I’ve been conducting for several months now. But today I want to approach this sticky subject from my own feminine and often skewed (probably due to Estrogen) perspective. 😉 [Tweet “My husband and…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 20, 2015

  About Me, Acceptance, Authenticity, Avoidance, Bonding, Change, Choices, Comfort, Communication, Conflict, Control, Differences, Emotions, Encouragement, Expectations, False Beliefs, Fear, Gender Differences, Intimacy, Men and Openness Series, Negative Self-Talk, Negotiation, Perspective, Priorities, Proactive, Realistic Expectations, Self-Protection, Togetherness, Truth, Validation, Vulnerability, Wedded Wednesday

  Barriers, Communication, Conflict, Conversation Skills, Emotions, False Beliefs, Gender Differences, Openness, Vulnerability

• Can Prayer Change Us? SJT Video

  

  It’s time for another “Sloppy Joe Time” and today I’m talking about how crazy it was for me and my hubby to think we could avoid a messy marriage without making a commitment to pray together daily. Find out what this one small act did for our marriage and what it can do for yours…

  BethSteffaniak

  October 11, 2015

  Anger, Attitude, Bonding, Change, Choices, Christ-Centered, Conflict, Emotions, Encouragement, Faith in God, Love for God, Love of God, Positive Focus, Prayer, Priorities, Sloppy Joe Time Video, Spiritual Practices, Support, Togetherness, Video

  Change, Conflict, Faith in God, Love of God, Peace, Prayer, Togetherness, Unity