Surprising Relationship Advice - Don't Be Too Modest and Polite

How Modesty and Politeness Kill Your Love Relationships

Love relationships are very different from other relationships. Relationship advice that works for interactions with colleagues and friends may strangle your love relationship. The following relationship advice can help you avoid sabotaging your love
 relationship through too much modesty and politeness.

How We Sabotage our Relationships without Realizing it

You had a good upbringing, so you know the basics of good behavior: be polite and modest. If someone compliments you, don't make a big deal out of it. If someone thanks you, you may say "don't mention it." Such relationship advice makes interactions with most people smoother. However, it may be deadly for your most significant relationship.

Your wife just thanked you for taking out the trash so she didn't have to. Perhaps you remembered to get something for her from the store. Instead of a accepting her thanks, you politely say "oh, it was nothing." Your husband complimented you on your outfit, or perhaps he noticed something you added to the family room. Being modest, you minimize it and deflect his compliment.

How Politeness Kills off Love Relationships

When your partner thanks you and you diminish its importance, you're robbing her of the special feeling that her happiness is important to you. If it really was nothing, meant nothing, maybe you don't love her as much as she thought.

When you deflect your husband's compliment, you're implying his opinion is not really important, that you don't need his approval. Doing that diminishes the feeling of partnership in ensuring you're both happy in your relationship.

This doesn't mean you should be arrogant or impolite to your love. Don't tell your husband to "move it already." It's not cool to tell your girlfriend her new dress is ugly. However, being too modest and polite can hurt your relationship.

Top Relationship Advice: Positive Communication Strengthens Your Relationship

Related information
  • Relationship advice that works with friends and colleagues could sabotage your love relationship.
  • Deflecting compliments and thanks from your partner can send the wrong message - that you don't care
  • Positive communication boosts affinity and helps build trust in your relationship.
 
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interesting! (=

Posted on 06/05/2009 at 2:06:50 PM

ooooh so you're supposed to be nice to them?!?! Now I get it! j/k Opher..great tips!

Posted on 06/04/2009 at 5:06:54 AM

I find that rude and mean get the guy every time;) jk...great article.

Posted on 05/15/2009 at 11:05:47 AM

This is great advice.

Posted on 12/02/2008 at 4:12:18 PM

Good point on being too polite. Nice article!

Posted on 11/03/2008 at 12:11:28 PM

Sounds like good advice to me Opher! Thanks for the tips.

Posted on 10/23/2008 at 10:10:13 AM

Great advice to remember.

Posted on 08/23/2008 at 11:08:33 PM

Doesn't sound surprising to me, just sound.

Posted on 08/12/2008 at 9:08:36 AM

Very interesting!

Posted on 08/06/2008 at 1:08:28 PM

Interesting perspective. Hadn't thought about this before.

Posted on 08/01/2008 at 8:08:11 AM

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