Characteristics of a Close Relationship

My husband and I have a great loving relationship. Just like every relationship it is not perfect there is always room for improvement. My husband and I use many strategies in our relationship daily to keep it as strong as possible. Some come naturally and some we need to work at a little more. According to the textbook in chapter one there are six specific strategies individuals may use to improve their relationships. These strategies are:

1. Carve out time to talk.

2. Handle conflict constructively.

3. Express admiration.

4. Show affection.

5. Create shared meaning.

6. Model Michelangelo.

My husband and I always carve out time to talk, express admiration, create shared meaning, and show affection. These strategies are the strategies that seem to come naturally in our relationship. We are currently trying to handle conflict constructively. This is difficult for us to do all of the time but we are working at it. We are both stubborn and like to be right. Accepting the others opinion is difficult at times when they differ. We both want our relationship to work and stay strong, so we work together to find a common ground when we disagree about anything. We are still working on the strategy model Michelangelo. We have both changed a great deal since we have been together for the better but, the only thing that she does that I would like to accomplish is remembering things as well as he does.

Any relationship takes the work of both individuals to make it work. My husband and I have not been married very long and we are still working to better out relationship. I strongly believe if we continue to work on the strategies to make our relationship stronger we can make all of the strategies come naturally to us. I believe the strategy we need the most work on is the ability to handle conflict constructively. We can accomplish this sometimes but I would like it to come naturally. If we were able to handle conflict constructively all of the time I believe we would have less time being upset with each other and more time to show affection.

According to chapter 11 the characteristics of a close relationship are:

Knowledge--mutual understanding based on reciprocal self-disclosure.

Trust--assumption of no harm will be done by the other. Keeping confidences.

Caring--genuine concern for the other and ongoing monitoring and maintenance of relationship

Interdependence--intertwining of lives and mutual influence.

Mutuality--sense of "we-ness" and overlapping of lives.

Commitment--intention