Resist staying stuck.
I was both shocked and sickened by an intimate conversation I had with two of my married girlfriends recently.
After a couple of whiskey sours and TWO bottles of wine (I drank lightly and hubby dropped and picked me up) the truth spilled out of Marcie and Rebecca.
Shocked.
That neither of them respected their husbands because their husbands issues “edicts” and “proclamations” without taking into account my girlfriend’s opinions.
Sickened.
That these college-educated, professional career women felt physically and intimately estranged from their husbands.
They felt abandoned in their marriages – one from her husband’s workaholism, the other because her husband put his attention on their children instead of her.
Neither was willing to approach their partner and express her true feelings!
That made me the saddest of all because I imagine neither husband was even aware of what was distancing her from him.
I imagine they thought they were “working hard for the family,” “making decisions” and “chipping in to help with the kids.”
Here’s the email I sent encouraging my girlfriends to speak up and to share their truth:
Marcie and Bex,
I hate to see you both trapped year after year in the confines of a living structure that is not serving to let your life force bloom.
Here is a link to the Brad Blanton’s book on “Radical Honesty.”
You’ll also want to look at a book called “Getting Real” by Dr. Susan Campbell.
Susan can help you find your voice to stand up to your partner about the things with which you disagree in a way that is non-confrontational.
I truly hope you will both do some reading and consider ways you can get in touch with what is right for you and request that in your relationship.
I believe with all my heart you can both talk to your husbands about getting your needs fulfilled and find some compromises that give you energy, positive feelings and hope.
If you’re half way through your lives, and you feel that you’ve been compromising yourself, it’s time to turn tide on your current situation and start getting more of what you want in your life, more of what brings you joy.
Tap into what you need and begin to ask for it.
It’s really that simple.
Resist making it more complicated.
Resist staying stuck.
Love,
Susan
If YOU are in an unsuitable relationship situation, speak up!
Do not assume you understand your partner’s intentions.
Read these books. Unstick yourself.
Note: Brad Blanton gives away a free excerpt of his book,
Practicing Radical Honesty here if you (safe) opt in to his mailing list.
You can one-click unsubscribe anytime from Brad’s list.
With love,
Susan Bratton
One Response
I have seen the good and the bad that radical honesty as espoused by Brad blanton can do.
I took a class in his practices and found that many people used it as a shadow tool.
Yes, it has great power when practiced with those who agree to practice with you.
And the scope should be limited to that until you see your shadow and accept responsibility for this powerful tool to create intimacy.