“Pride will always be the longest distance between two people”

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Have you ever read a brilliant book that you know that your man will enjoy, but when you recommend it to him he shows no interest? 

You’re not alone. I remember reading a book called “The E-Myth by Michael Gerber”. I knew my man would enjoy reading it too, but from past experience I knew that because I had read it first he would not read it. For him, it is a matter of pride. So, rather than recommending the book to him, I simply left it out on the coffee table and went to bed. You guessed it, the next morning I woke up to see the book by his bedside! This is just one example. At times, when I have made a suggestion about a restaurant that I have heard about, he will suggest that we eat somewhere else, but after some time has passed, he’ll suggest the restaurant that I recommended a few weeks ago, making it sound like it’s his idea. When this happens, I never point it out to him. Instead, I tell him that it sounds fantastic, and I’d love to go! 

“Sometimes it’s better to react with no reaction”

Occasionally, it doesn’t do any harm to stroke a man’s ego. I’m sure some of you will not agree with me, and that’s ok. Even so, you may consider giving it a try. It can be a very helpful strategy to ensuring you have a harmonious relationship, and I’m sure that is what most of us are looking for. 

It can feel as though you are giving a little bit of yourself up by not acknowledging that you had an idea first or that you discovered something before your partner did, but it is worth considering if this is really the case. Does it actually take anything away from you if he thinks he was the one to think of something? And if you point it out to him, how often do you get the reaction that you want? Sometimes it is easier to take the path of least resistance, and to carry your own truths with you, rather than allowing these things to become a source of frustration.

We don’t enter into a relationship expecting that it’s not going to work one day. Rather than allowing frustrations to build up about things that don’t really matter, you can learn to let go and give him what he wants. You may well find that if he feels that you are fully accepting of him, he is able to be a lot more giving in return, and that the things you have been fighting for now just fall into your hands.

Try putting it into practice with your man. I’d love to hear about how it works for you!

A matter of principle?

Have you found that pride has been a source of damage and frustration in your relationship? Do you always stand on principle or do you find it easy to shrug your shoulders and give his ego a little massage?