How to Communicate Respectfully with your Spouse

Ask happy couples what they think is key to keeping their relationship bright and joyful, and “good communication skills” will be up high on their list, along with mutual respect, admiration, and of course, awesome sex.

Effective communication or communicating respectfully with your spouse is not always innate, however. We aren’t born knowing how to share our thoughts and feelings in a smooth, respectful way with our spouse.

Those of us who were lucky enough to see our parents indulge in respectful communication in relationships have a head start on how this works.

But for many who did not grow up in households where parents were not communicating respectfully and effectively, it is essential to learn some productive, resolution-oriented ways to communicate with our spouse, especially when navigating subjects that are sensitive but essential to relationship building and maintenance.

Good communication is built on a foundation of respect.

Think about the people you know who are poor communicators or who do not know how to communicate in a marriage.

They yell, argue their point endlessly, dominate the dialogue, and never let the other person get a word in edgewise. In short, poor communicators don’t practice respectful communication.

They broadcast their message with such force that the listener only hears, “I don’t respect you enough to talk to you in a calm, inviting way.”

This is counterproductive to building meaningful communication with a spouse. What are some ways you can set up your communication that show you value and respect your spouse?

Hold your conversation in a calm environment

Jumping into a hot issue the minute your spouse walks through the front door after a long workday is a surefire way to alienate them and put them on the defensive.

One of the vital ways to improve communication in marriage and respect your spouse is to plan your essential relationship conversations for a time when you can pay attention and focus on each other.

It might be after the children are asleep or on a Saturday afternoon when all of your tasks are finished. Make sure distractions are low, and you can both invest in the dialogue.

Use active listening skills

Another tip for communicating better with your spouse is for both of you to be present in the conversation. You don’t want to be half-listening while mentally reflecting on your to-do list or planning what you want to be saying while your spouse is speaking.

Active listening is one of the best ways to communicate with your spouse. It shows your spouse that you are wholly involved at the moment and hearing what they are sharing with you.

If your partner is telling you that they feel unsupported because you are working a lot, you might say something like, “It sounds like you are frustrated that you have to shoulder all the household responsibilities yourself.”

When your spouse agrees that that is what they are saying, a great, proactive way to follow up your active listening is to ask an open-ended question: “What can I do to help us find a solution to this?”

Keep things positive and moving forward

Wondering how to communicate effectively with your spouse?

Make sure there is no name-calling, insults, or bringing up a list of all the wrongs your spouse has done throughout your relationship. That’s how unhealthy couples fight, and it never leads to a proper resolution.

If you find your conversation getting heated, you might want to suggest—in a gentle voice– taking a break and revisit the issues once things have calmed down.

Remind your spouse that the goal of communication is to bring you closer together, not drive you apart.

Check out what Fawn Weaver, the bestselling author of Happy Wives Club has to say about an argument free wedding:

The power of touch

Respectful communication involves being mentally connected. But did you know that if you touch your spouse while you are talking–on the arm, or by taking their hand—it will help them feel more connected to you?

Touch is also soothing and reminds your spouse that even if you are discussing something challenging, you still love them and want to be close to them.

Show your spouse you want to understand their point of view

Couples with excellent communication skills rely on this to keep the dialogue moving forward. Rather than trying to force their point of view on the other person, they seek to understand the “why” behind how their spouse sees the issue.

Instead of insisting that your opinion is the right one, take a moment to let your spouse put into words why they see things the way they do.

Remember to use your active listening skills to acknowledge that you have heard them before you share your thoughts on how you see things.

Be open to changing your opinion

This is related to the above point and shows your spouse that you are empathetic and understanding. It may be that once your spouse has told you their point of view on the subject you are discussing, you realize that they are right.

Healthy communicators are not ashamed of changing their minds.

Saying to your spouse, “You know what? I get what you are saying. And you are right.” allows them to hear that you not only acknowledge their perspective but that they communicated it so well that you now actually share it!

Respect your spouse by using “I” statements

The use of ‘I’ statements in the issue helps your partner realize that you are feeling strongly about the issue and keeps the communication lines respectful and complication-free

“I really get hurt when I have to nag you each time to get you to take out the trash” sounds better to your spouse’s ears than “You can’t ever remember to take out the trash without me nagging you.”

Winding down effective communication

You’ve each had time to talk and listen. You’ve reached a mutually agreed-upon resolution. How do you end the conversation so that these good feelings continue?

• Breathe deeply

You’ve both just done something remarkable for your relationship. Share gratitude. “I like how we can talk about these things without conflict. It makes me feel closer to you” is a beautiful compliment to give to your spouse.

Tell them what you’ve learned from this discussion, any point of view that you hadn’t considered before. Validate what they shared with you, and ask them how they are feeling.

• Make a joke

“Man, we could negotiate the next Peace Treaty!” acknowledges how well you both are communicating in a light-hearted way. Effective communication doesn’t only mean deep conversations but also implies how you both are able to keep conversations healthy and light, whenever possible.

• End with a hug

 This will come naturally to you because you’ve just successfully worked through something big and come out of it closer than you were before. Enjoy this moment!

Takeaway

Communication without respect will invite nothing but further complications.

Respect is one of the important elements of every successful relationship and once we know how to combine communication and respect, every discussion will turn into a healthy one, and help eliminate possible problems between partners.

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Rachael Pace Author

Rachael Pace is a noted relationship writer associated with Marriage.com. She provides inspiration, support, and empowerment in the form of motivational articles and essays. Rachael enjoys studying the evolution of loving partnerships... Read more and is passionate about writing on them. She believes that everyone should make room for love in their lives and encourages couples to work on overcoming their challenges together. Read less

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When you and your partner talk about something important…

We listen with care — even hard talks feel safe and productive

We try to talk, but lately emotional closeness feels harder to reach

I want to be open, but part of me still guards my heart

Our discussions sometimes spiral or end unresolved

It’s hard to feel close because our physical intimacy hasn’t felt strong lately

We often see things differently about goals or priorities

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