How Radical Acceptance Can Help a Marriage
Marriage is a wonderful connection that two people have with one another. When you find the person you want to spend your life with, it’s a beautiful feeling. People have unique perspectives on marriage, and it can be helpful to read about different viewpoints. When it comes to marital relationships, one thing to keep in mind is that they change over time. There are many things that you cannot control in life. Sometimes these factors happen within a marriage. One thing that can help is to accept things as they are. Radical acceptance helps you appreciate your marriage and find ways to work through the challenges that arise. Here is how it benefits a marriage.
What is radical acceptance?
It’s tempting to want to control things in life. Unfortunately, the only thing you can control is yourself. You can decide what actions you take in life. However, you cannot control what other people do or say. Radical acceptance means that you embrace your lack of power over most things in life. Sometimes you cannot change the way things are. Many people get frustrated when they try to modify things out of their control. One of the critical components of radical acceptance is embracing reality without judgment. You see what is happening in front of you in a non-judgmental way and accept that aspects of it you cannot change. You may be wondering – how does that relate to marriage?
Accept that your partner has a unique perspective
Radical acceptance helps people accept one another in a marriage. No matter how similar or different to partners are, it’s possible to embrace one another for their true selves. There are different kinds of relationships. Sometimes two people who are similar in personality are attracted to one another, and other times, opposites attract. No matter how similar or different you are to one another, you are two distinct individuals. You are going to look at things differently from the way your partner sees them. It’s important to practice radical acceptance when it comes to perspectives. You’re not going to have the same viewpoint as your spouse. There will be times when you will see things similarly, but ultimately you are two unique individuals with different minds.
Accept the fact that you and your partner have flaws
No marriage is perfect because people are imperfect. It’s crucial to practice radical acceptance when it comes to flaws. Everybody has positive attributes as well as things they need to work on. You can’t expect your spouse to be perfect. Perfection is a myth, and it’s crucial to practice radical acceptance when it comes to your partner’s imperfections. There will be times when your significant other will irritate you because they’re not doing what you’d like. Maybe you’re going through an emotional moment, and you need a hug. Your partner is distracted and doesn’t notice that you’re upset. You may feel hurt or angry. Once you accept that your partner will let you down at times, it’s a relief.
On the other hand, there will likely be times when your partner will come through for you and make you feel loved. But marriage isn’t all or nothing. It ebbs and flows.
You will hurt each other at times
There will be times when one person hurts the other one’s feelings in any relationship. It doesn’t mean there is no love there. That person can hurt your feelings because you love one another so much that you care about the other one’s opinion. In a marriage, it’s crucial to practice radical acceptance when it comes to arguments and hurt feelings. It’s okay to disagree with each other, and if you hurt one another’s feelings, it doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with the marriage. It’s a natural part of having a close connection with your spouse. You can hurt each other and learn from the experience afterward. Hurting one another’s feelings doesn’t have to be a negative thing. It can help the relationship grow.
Learn more about radical acceptance in couples counseling
Radical acceptance is a part of DBT (Dialectal Behavior Therapy). You can practice it when it comes to accepting yourself, your feelings, and what’s happening around you. It can also be beneficial as a tool when dealing with challenges in your marriage. If you and your spouse decide to do couples counseling, it could help to talk about radical acceptance and ask the counselor how it can benefit you in your marriage. If you’re struggling in your relationship, it’s okay to reach out to help a licensed therapist. Couples counseling is a great place to learn to accept what you can and cannot change.
Radical acceptance can help many marriages
No matter what challenges you’re facing in your marriage, you can benefit from accepting what is happening around you. When you embrace reality, that’s when you can start taking action to better your relationship with your spouse.
Marie Miguel Biography
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-related topics.
Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com.
With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with
mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
