How To Be Your Partner’s Hero – Listen
Here’s how to be your partner’s hero, listen.
My husband and I are just as imperfect as any couple. But I must say, he is my hero.
It’s not easy being married to a relationship therapist.
I’ve never been married to one, but my husband and others have said it’s not easy. Although he and I have been married nearly eight years, I have more than 35 years of marital experience.
Not only have I spent my entire adult life trying to make marriage work, I’ve studied it, gotten my degrees around it, professionally developed it, and practically eat, sleep, and breathe efforts into creating and nurturing healthy relationships.
The challenge is that my husband has been a single man most of his adult life. You can only imagine what it might be like for him to be married to a professional relationship therapist.
But here we are, very ordinary, passionate, intense, different, and similar. In all the messiness of our lives, I must say that he’s my hero.
Here’s why my husband is my hero.
He sat through another relationship therapist’s office and did an amazing thing. He stayed with me during a heart-felt, yet difficult dialogue. He could have walked away. But he stayed.
A short youtube video called, “It’s Not About The Nail” shows a couple on a couch, struggling to communicate. When the guy points out that she has a nail in her head, she reacts.
She just wants him to listen. He tries so hard to just listen as she talks about her headaches and snagged sweaters and how difficult it is for her. She just can’t understand.
He struggles to just sit. He tries hard to listen empathically and give her loving eye contact.
That’s what my husband did for me. Only I didn’t have a nail in my head.
Being listened to is the most remarkable feeling we can ever have as human beings. Share on XI believe we’re designed by God for deep emotional connection in our marriages. When our spouse really hears our longings and desires, our love tank is full.
The way to be your partner’s hero is to listen.
- If what you’re hearing from your spouse seems as crazy as a nail in her head, instead just listen.
- If you’re on the verge of telling her what the problem is, instead just listen.
- When it takes every ounce of your being to refrain from fixing, instead just listen.
You’ll soon discover that the nail is something much deeper than what the cute video clip shows. It takes a willingness to understand. Be willing to assume your spouse makes sense, even if it looks like a silly nail to you. Allow those crazy feelings to be heard. Those “unrealistic” feelings are likely to be replaced with remarkable feelings of connection with you.
One simple way to be your partner’s hero is to continue listening.
Our lives are always changing and our love tanks need daily filling. This requires a daily habit of listening. Seeking to understand.
When our love tank is full we have motivation throughout the day. We have a sparkle in our eyes for each other. Our differences are not so threatening. We laugh and play. For my husband and I, we dance.
And it’s not about the nail.
Questions to Ponder
How full (or empty) is your love tank now?
What can you do to make sure you listen?
What’s the next step for you?
The skill of listening doesn’t come natural for most of us. Consider the next step for you to create connection beyond conflict and be your partner’s hero. Sign up for a free consultation to find out what best fits your needs.
2022 by Judy K. Herman 
