The following blog post, written by Stacy, has been recognized as “One of YourTango Experts Weekly Best”
If you want to improve your relationship, one cardinal rule to follow is this: Don’t expect your partner to read your mind.
This seems obvious, right? But many people still operate this way, in an unconscious manner, almost daily.
Why is this a problem? Because most people fail at mind-reading — or fail to succeed, consistently — which leads to a lot of problems, such as:
- Misunderstandings
- Disappointments
- Resentment
- Stress
- Disconnection
How does failed “mind-reading” show up in relationships?
Expecting your partner — or your parent, child, or friend — to meet your needs without an open discussion can keep you personally unaware of your expectations and prevent important conversations about each other’s ideas, feelings, wants, needs, and priorities.
Listen for things like, “If you really loved me, you would know XYZ,” Or, “I shouldn’t have to tell you.”