“You can’t change your partner. However, you can change what you put up with from your partner.” – Lisa Merlo-booth
We teach people how to treat us; we do this with our words, our actions, and even our silence.
If we choose to stay in a conversation while someone is belittling us, swearing, or calling us names, we teach them that this behavior is okay. If we repeatedly ask our partner to pick up their clothes and then we pick them up for them, we teach them to ignore our requests. If we sleep with our partner when s/he repeatedly treats us disrespectfully and in a cold-hearted way, we teach our partner that we do not need to be treated well… we just need to be thrown a few crumbs now and then.
You have more control over how you are treated than you realize. There are often many steps you can take to teach those around you to treat you well. You can set a limit, make a request, get outside help, or leave the situation or relationship if necessary.
You can’t change your partner. However, you can change what you put up with from your partner. The first place to look if your partner (or anyone else) is not treating you well is… at you.
What is it that you are putting up with?
Challenge: Pay attention to how you’re teaching others to treat you…and make sure it is the right lesson.
