7 signs of failing relationship and what you can do about it

Rose courtesy of victorianrose.com

Have you ever come home from work and the lights are off? Ever noticed how a friend, colleague or spouse has increased in negativity towards you? Here are seven signs of a failing relationship and steps you can take towards wholeness.

Have you ever noticed a level of nastiness creeping into the conversation. Someone I know once wrote me an email that I was disgusted at. I was like… what the? Unwillingly I had offended the person in question by making an offhand remark via email. Don’t do that! What to do:

Get to the bottom of why it’s happening

Go speak to the person and confront the issue. The worst thing you can do is just let it go. You must confront them and find out why this is happening. Be careful here, don’t misinterpret signals that are coming from people. Check your own self esteem first. The worse thing you can do is confront someone and you have not understood their intentions.

2. Are you sleeping alone?

Do you find you and your partner are sleeping in separate beds. This is a symptom of a bigger problem. You didn’t just get there overnight. You made bad decisions over a period of time that added up to your present situation. What can you do about it?

Find out what caused it

There is a reason. The first thing you need to do is remember, although people seem to act without a reason they have due cause to be mad. Wind back, think through the situation and take it from there. If nothing comes up. Go and apologise anyway. It will come out eventually.

3. When your wife spends more time with television or Myspace/Facebook than with you

Social networking sites often substitute for real relationships. When your wife/husband/partner spends more time playing around on Facebook or watching television than they do with you… you have a problem. The attention you once had has now vapourised.

Make time to spend with them

I have found the number one reason this occurs is because I have not shown significant interest in my partner. Often, I will notice this happening because I am working too much, spending too much time out of the house and so on. Make time. You may think your job is important but I can tell you a divorce is a lot more expensive in financial terms. Not too mention the emotion cost on children and you.

4. Partner stays longer at work

If your partner stays longer at work than he or she should it could be that your relationship is beginning to fail. The reasons for this are many and varied.

Get them off the job

Firstly, why do they want to work more and trade that off for home time? No matter what reason they offer (job security or whatever) the chances are that they are avoiding home. Why? Secondly, find out what the work is like and if it’s truly the case ask them why they want to work more and be with the family less? It is a choice. Oh, but my job makes me work these extra hours. Really? Turn off your Blackberry and save your family!

5. You are going to bed alone

You find yourself ‘staying up’ to play computer games, stumble, digg or looking at porn. If you are doing these things you are substituting.

Don’t go to bed alone

If you are going to bed alone why not get up earlier and work when people are asleep? Why do it? Learn strategies to work smarter and make the time to spend with your partner, just talking about your day, watching television together or whatever. Just do it. Money can buy you a big house but it cannot buy you a lasting meaningful relationship.

6. Partner stops calling you at work or from work

You may be wondering why you stop calling each from work? Do you send text messages to each other? Emails? When this communication slows down and you absolutely dread going home. You have a problem.

Take time out

Stop what you are doing and make a deliberate effort to touch base with your partner. Spend just an hour everyday talking to them. Even if it’ s ten minutes. Write them an email saying how much you love them, do something thoughtful, write a love note, a poem (if you are into this kind of thing) or something you know your partner will appreciate. Rekindle that love by showing the other person that you care. You don’t have to put it in words.

7. The “love” boat has stopped the motion in the ocean

Note, I put this last. Sure sex is lots of fun but should you build your relationships around it? Love is what makes relationships work. Not sex. However, if the lovin’ ceases and you don’t have a good reason (sickness, children, etc etc) you should investigate why.

When love stops coming to town

This is hard to answer in a short communication but it can be for a variety of reasons. Have you stopped paying attention to each other, stopped loving each other. Remember when you first got married and it was ‘oh I love you… no I love you?’ What happened to that? You know what it’s still there. Remind yourself on a daily basis why you got married or hooked up with your other half. Think it through. Write down a list of the things you admire about your partner and speak it loud to yourself. Allow yourself to feel what it was like back then and begin to act on those feelings. If you have the relationship set on love, honour and mutual respect you can’t go wrong.

Now I know some relationships go bad and for many MANY reasons and you can’t save them. But some you can. You married the person you did because you love them. We now have mandatory mediation for marriages that are in divorce court but why does it have to be when it’s too late? If your marriage is in trouble seek out a qualified professional today and get on top of the problem before it’s too late.

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15 Responses to “7 signs of failing relationship and what you can do about it”

  1. Gamy Rachel Gamy Rachel says:

    Hi Luke,

    Thank you for adding my post link here.

    I have added your blog with a trackback here
    http://www.mindthinksuccess.com/blog-carnival-list

    Best Regards
    Gamy

  2. Hi Gamy,

    No problem. Your article was great!

    Luke

  3. Julie Julie says:

    You should have someone check this proofread this before you post it on the web. It is filled with clerical and spelling errors. Good information, but it should be void of errors to be taken seriously.

  4. Julie,

    Point taken.

    Luke

  5. What if you could recapture your ex lovers mind, heart and soul?…Wipe the slate clean? Turn back time? Even if you feel right now that your situation is too far gone…too screwed up …or just plain too darn complicated?

    You already know how hard it is to just even wake up and roll out of bed in the morning. You leave your radio off on your way to work because every song is a painful reminder of him. You can’t even bear to eat at the same restaurants you took her to. And if that isn’t bad enough, you have to cope with the loss of friends and family that are on “their side”.

    Did you know that most relationships can be salvaged? You may find it difficult to believe that almost every break up for whatever reason…infidelity, plain old lost passion, loss of interest, a stolen heart and worse.

    I have a blog that has more information on some of what I’ve been writing about on relationships. If you feel like checking it out, you can find it here: http://winningyouback.blogspot.com It’s entitled “The Magic of Making Up – 10 Tips to a Happy Relationship.”

    I hope you read my blog, it can improve on and possibly save your relationship.
    By: Laura

  6. Hi Laura,

    Thanks for that… I will check it out.

    Luke

  7. Jim Jim says:

    Wishing I had the opportunity to read this some time back. A simple yet in your face lesson. Maybe another sign could be avoidance… when your partner will go to extremes to avoid confrontation. (read leave before you get up, stay at work past when they need to.) Even choosing distractions to avoid realities… like the gym V’s talking. Friends needs over the needs of the relationship…

  8. Kate Kate says:

    I agree with Jim. How can you be a friend when you’re partner is never around. Maybe the 7th sign? x

  9. megan megan says:

    Hi my name is Megan. My husband and I just had a baby girl two months ago and well I feel like we are falling apart. He works monday trought firday out of town and when he is home he has to everything for his mother. I only get two days with him and his mother seems to want the time herself and because of it, I have been being mean and trying to stay away becuase I feel like he doesn’t see that his mother may just be the reason that our relationship hasn’t been working. So, maybe you can put in that a reason a relationship may not work is becuase of the in-laws.

    Much love,
    Megan

    • Luke Luke says:

      Hi Megan,

      Definitely. I am not sure my in-laws read this blog but man can they be demanding. We had a series of uncoftrable confrontations that eventually led to us establishing firmer boundaries. Whatever you do, make sure you stick it out and talk to your husband. That’s one mistake I made, not talking to my wife and just being a pain in the ass, and it nearly cost me my marriage… more than once.

      Thanks Megan.

  10. Sdiana Sdiana says:

    I have read your post, and none of these 7 signs are present in my relationship, yet its failing!!

    My boyfriend has a friend who is a girl, she visits every single day, calls him, texts him, etc….I woke up one night and found them sitting on the frontroom floor infront of the TV with him lying with his head between her legs…they deny that there’s anything between them..

    He now blames me for everything that has gone wrong in our relationship, that I pushed him away by asking him questions about thier friendship…

    What do you think I should do?

  11. Luke Luke says:

    Well,

    I am not sure but…

    I think from what you have said above it’s more than friendship. I mean I wouldn’t do that and I have female friends. You don’t cross those kinds of lines. From what you have said that’s completely inappropriate.

    I don’t think it’s your fault if they are doing that and perhaps he is deflecting it on to you, when in reality it is a problem for him. But that’s just my opinion… it’s not something I would tolerate.

    Hope this helps

  12. Steve Steve says:

    Thanks for helping me out. I really was able to gain some valuable insight from this post. I now know how to handle my GF. Thanks. :)