Great post. I think this is really a critical distinction that people don’t often consider when they look at dissatisfaction in their relationship. When you add in that people not only have different styles, but that expectations are also often different (and uncommunicated), it gets easy to see how the ship can appear to be sinking. Your advice here paves the way to so much other intimate distinctions, conversations, and possibilities. It’s also a path that can lead to deepening each partner’s compassion quotient; that is, each partner’s capacity for being and bringing compassion to themselves and each other. Without that, combined with good communication, a relationship’s going to be pretty hobbled in the long run.

Thanks for sharing this excellent place to begin, which seems quite foundational to know.