Communication FUNdamentals

May. 20, 2008

NEW Series: A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE! #1 Marriage

I have a new Tuesday Tips series for you!  For the next several weeks I am going to be sharing how important communication is every day in my new series: A Day Without Communication is like...IMPOSSIBLE.  We may be able to get through our entire lives without ever having to make a speech but we can't get through one single day without communicating something some somebody!  That is how far reaching communication skills are.  That is why the Lord talks about our tongues, our mouths and our approach hundreds of times in His Word! And each aspect of communication requires different skills.  You wouldn't feel comfortable going to a Podiatrist for heart surgery would you?  Well, being trained in speech-making or debate doesn't help you to learn to make and maintain friendships, win a heart for Jesus or convince a neighbor to discipline her child so he won't keep trampling on your daisies --and still maintain a good relationship! I've said it a thousand times.  Everything we say and do. and even the things we don't say and don't do, communicates something to someone around us.  Let's look deeper at those situations... This week I want to talk about marriage.  My husband and I have been married over 21 years.  In that time we have come to understand that effective communication is vital to a marriage and here's why.  1. The Communication of Marriage According to the National Center for Health Statistics, over half of all marriages end in divorce!  By the way that number doesn't improve if you only consider the Christian community.  Over 50 of those who get married will end up getting a divorce.  Many of my college friends, who got married around the time my husband and I did, were already divorced only 3-5 years after their wedding!  I think the expectations are set in Hollywood.  The knight in shining armor who sweeps fair maiden off her feet and they live happily ever after.  No mention of disagreements or the work required to keep a relationship together.  These were things our grandparents understood, but that was before Cinderella's Prince Charming.  Did you know that the recent wedding trend is to rent your wedding dress and your (hold onto your hats!) wedding rings!  Know why?  'Cuz "when you get divorced" you won't have spent that much money.  But with all of society's expectations fueling the issue, a recent survey reveals that the number one cause for a marriage to fail is a lack of effective communication.  The most important factor in creating a happy marriage is knowing how to manage conflict including respectful negotiations to find an amicable resolution to disagreements. No two people are going to get along ALL the time!  Let's face it, your neighbors will trample your Gladiolas.  Your college roommate might trample through your space.  And your spouse might trample on your feelings sometimes.  The trick in a long relationship isn't avoiding conflict, it's the successful resolution thereof!  In addition, men and women communicate in completely different ways and sometimes for very different reasons.  I talk about this is my book Say What You Mean Every Day in chapter one called How to Talk to Your Spouse 'Cuz You Must!.   Knowing how and why our spouse communicates and understanding tips for resolving conflict can help you have a longer happier marriage!  ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ From JoJo's Purple Crayon... For more Communication tips delivered right to your inbox, subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter: Communication Tip of the Week! Hey!  Did you enter our contest yet?  Enter by midnight PST on Sunday, March 25th!

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