Welcome to this shared adventure in improving our relationships!
This first week is dedicated to learn about what human needs are and how they influence everything: from the way we connect with ourselves to the kind of alliances we have with others… We could even define marriage as a contract to take care of our reciprocal needs!
The problem is, we are not so used to know our needs and their power over us….Here we invite you to discover what are the basic needs; how do you feel when they are satisfied, what do you feel when you are frustrated and the level of your satisfaction or frustration in each one.
Perhaps having a simple survey can help you get the picture? And, when you know what is missing from your life, can we talk about taking responsibility for that and finding ways of keeping ourselves happy?
As behaviors are happening always in a reciprocal way, (we do things to each other) we can help you find the areas where you could be having conflicts because you are not fulfilling your partner’s needs…and as soon as you decide to do something, you will have a list of good suggestions to put in practice.
All this exploration on our human needs is a way to approach the painful issue of conflict: why do we fight, when fighting destroys the same relationship we need to keep to satisfy needs for love and connection? What happens if we see conflict as an all or nothing proposition, where one person wins and the other fails; and how this approach is damaging to long-term relationships.
At the end of this week, we hope that you know more about your frustration areas, when and how you need to go to war to get some satisfaction, and better ways to negotiate with your loved one.
Please, feel free to download the reading materials; they are short and to the point. Here is the list, and you can download them here, once you are registered:
1.- How to Understand and Frame your Conflicts
2.- His/Her Human Needs
3.- Survey: How are your human needs being satisfied now?
Then, take your notes, fill the survey and be ready to share with others your reflections. The “National Relationships Repair Month” organizers, Neil Warner and myself will be answering questions and participating with our own reflections in the forum discussion.
New Forum Discussion: Case Study #1
New Forum Discussion: Case Study #2
Depending on the degree of interest, we can consider opening specialized groups for different issues.
Welcome to the National Relationship Repair Month and be ready to learn and grow!