Win together or Lose Together

Here are some reasons to fight fairly in a marriage:

• When your spouse loses, you lose.
• When your spouse wins, you win.
• When you both win, your children win.
• When you try to hurt each other, your children hurt most.

A house divided cannot stand.

Every family member needs every other family member to be at their best.

Fighting for Control

The best person to control is yourself. Not someone else.

• When you bully, deceive or manipulate someone, you destroy trust and good will.
• When you control others, you create resentment.
• When you show contempt, you receive contempt.
• When you tear someone down behind their back, you breed bitterness.

Every one of us can do better.

Building up

Do the opposite of fighting for control.

• When you love, stay honest, and respect their freedom, you build trust.
• When you respect their right to make decisions for themselves, you prevent resentment and encourage them to treat you likewise.
• When you show love, you warm their hearts.
• Wen you build them up behind their back, you breed love.

And again, you are responsible for your own decisions.

Action

What will you do today to benefit from this article?

• What will you do tomorrow and the next day?
• After a few days, a week, month, or year, review whether this article helped you and your marriage and your family life.
• See if it also affected your relationships at work and your friendships, too.
• See if it affected your relationships with your in-laws and parents and children.

• marriage
• fighting
• control
• competition
• negotiating