The 7 Steps to Better Communication in Your Relationship

Communication is one of the core pillars of a happy and fulfilling relationship. What practices can strengthen the effectiveness of your communication with your partner and in all your relationships? How can you connect with others and build strong communication channels quickly and effectively with everyone you interact with?

Here are the 7 most effective steps that, when you apply them, give you the opportunity to build a relationship based on trust and become a better communicator and listener.

1. Choose to communicate with your partner when you are emotionally balanced, not emotionally charged.
2. Clarify the reason you want to talk and express your message in a simple, clear way. If your partner initiates the conversation, stay open and remember that you don’t always need to be right — you simply need empathy and the willingness to listen to a different perspective than your own.
3. Create the right conditions for the discussion by removing anything that might interrupt it, such as your mobile phone, pending tasks, or other distractions.
4. Keep all your attention focused on your partner — both hearing and eye contact — to show that you are fully present. Listen without interrupting, and respond only after they have finished their thought.
5. Adopt your partner’s body language and tone of voice. When you do this, your partner feels more comfortable and safe while communicating with you.
6. Ask the right questions with genuine interest to clarify your partner’s message. Ask directly, “What do you mean when you say this?” so you receive the clarification you need instead of making assumptions or creating your own interpretation.
7. Avoid criticism, labeling, and generalizations in your communication, because your partner will become defensive and miss your message. Use positive language to inspire change. For example, instead of saying, “Why do you always do this?” say, “How could you do this differently?”

By adopting all the steps above and approaching your partner — or any person you communicate with — with positive intention, love, and genuine interest, your communication becomes effective, meaningful, and successful.