2022: The Year of the Good Argument?
Some ideas and resources to set you up for a happy, connected home life this year.
Dear Friends,
I hope you have all had a safe, calm and healthy start to 2022.
I began this year by looking back at the 2021 highlights of my podcast, The Meaningful Life With Andrew G. Marshall. This episode makes a great introduction to the podcast. We talked about SO much, but highlights included:
Infidelity recovery
What we would have liked our parents to have done better
The deeper meaning of motherhood
The quality of resilience
This year I am really looking forward to trying new things and cultivating a spirit of adventure. I have moved this newsletter away from Mailchimp to Substack, a new platform where in the past six months or so I have discovered some wonderful writing and podcasts. See, for example, The Anxious Overachiever (who is featured on my podcast this week).
I have also made a New Year’s resolution to be in touch more, bringing you more insights from my podcast and more of my thoughts about building the strongest relationships you can in 2022. So I hope you enjoy this new look newsletter, “The Meaningful Life”.
One of the best places to start if you’re worried about the state of the nation in your marriage is to look at how you disagree (or if you do at all - if you’ve stopped bothering to argue, then you really do need to work on your connection).
I was excited to find out that a blog I wrote last year was one of the Gottman Institute’s most popular blogs of 2021. Three Common Mistakes Couples Make During Conflict was my attempt to give readers some simple, effective strategies they could use to work through conflict in a positive and productive way.
For example:
It is easy to fall into black and white concepts of right and wrong, win and lose. Instead of this comparative thinking, embrace something called contemplative thinking. Instead of “yes but,” switch to “yes and,” which does not negate your partner’s position. Once you accept you are both right, you open up to creative solutions: “What can we do differently?”
As always, if you’re looking to get the support of a neutral professional to work through issues in your relationship, email Tricia (tricia@andrewgmarshall.com) for a virtual or in-person appointment with one of my team of therapists in London, or with me here in Berlin.
With love,
Andrew