gypsygrl -> RE: After 30 years I still don't know how....please HELP! (10/6/2008 5:11:52 AM)
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hey, that's one of those little things that's gonna drive me nuts! What's wrong with just saying that? I use that, or a similar sentiment all the time: "thats something thats gonna make me crazy" or "its making me crazy." I don't so much insist that he change, but point out the effect the problematic behavior has on me and then let him decide if he wants to address it. Or, if its not so much the behavior itself, but the long term consequences of the behavior on our overall quality of life, I talk about that. I try to have at least one potential alternative behavior in mind, or a solution to the problem, when I bring it up for discussion. Asking someone to stop doing something often goes nowhere unless there's an agreed upon plan for doing something else instead. (Like, getting better coasters.) I do try to be aware of the possibility that maybe I'm being too picky about some things, and only make an issue of something if it really is making me nuts. If I can let something slide, I let it slide. Part of the thing for me is from the very beginning, even when we were 'just friends' he wanted me to help him get his house in order because he was feeling the effects of living like a bachelor for 3 or 4 years. So, when I do bring something up, he's very much open to hearing what I have to say and willing to put the effort into making things better.
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