Tips For Compromising With A Less Expressive Partner

Illustration of tips to compromise with a partner who is less expressive (iStockphoto)

YOGYAKARTA – Committing to someone who is less expressive requires a strategy to compromise. You don't need to change his personality, because the chances are very small. Especially if the relationship is based on conscious love, shouldn't it be necessary to accept how he is?

According to a clinical psychologist reported by PsychCentral, Jared DeFife, Ph.D., the expression of feelings is important for every couple because it is the foundation of trust, security, intimacy, and closeness. But if your partner is less expressive, what can be done? Keeping emotions to yourself is definitely a way of surviving. However, because everyone has a different emotional state, while being committed to a romantic relationship, here are some tips on how to compromise each other.

1. Don't force

Expressions will be tightly saved if forced to share. Then you can't make it change. You may be able to push it a little at a time, but don't force it. Because the more forced it makes your partner more distant.

2. Build emotional closeness

The most important thing to do is to build or maintain a strong emotional closeness. The reason is, so that trust remains the foundation of the relationship. When you and your partner trust each other, you can talk to them about situations that need to be addressed. For example by asking the question 'how do you feel about this?'. These questions are open-ended and non-judgmental so the conversation will be more comfortable for both parties.

Illustration of tips to compromise with a partner who is less expressive (iStockphoto)

3. Avoid judging

Judging right or wrong and even directing how it should be, does not make a less expressive partner more open. If you want to be a safe haven for your partner, make it a judgment-free conversation. That way, he will feel respected and appreciated.

4. Find out the reason why you can't express your emotions

Whether it's an inherent fear or something is going on in his life, it makes your partner less expressive. This needs to be understood, because everyone does not accidentally close to open.

5. Don't make it a burden

Just because someone isn't expressive on the surface, doesn't mean they don't have feelings. That is, just because you don't see anything doesn't mean your partner doesn't feel how you feel. So don't make it a burden, just get to know the character and carry out the role according to the agreement.

6. Keep the response under control

An uncontrolled response makes a person more dominant than a less expressive person. This means that the response remains under control. Keep the pattern of relationships in balance, especially when responding to certain situations.

7. Learn to accept it

Having a partner who is less expressive requires extra patience. This can indeed test your love, but it doesn't mean the relationship is over. You just need to learn to accept it and have more open, non-judgmental conversations.