The Magic Minute-How to repair Any Relationship in One Minute

By Henry Flowers IV 

With so many dating shows, dating web sites, and countless other opportunities to find the perfect match...is anyone giving any advice on how to keep the relationship going strong after inception? What good is it to find the perfect match, if you are not able to keep the match together? After 17 years of marriage, I've found what I believe is the number one key to having a magical relationship. I call it the magic minute. By the time you finish this article, you will better understand that the foundation of any relationship is communication; you will discover a time tested way to keep the magic in your relationship; and you will be excited about what your relationship future holds. Let's go for a ride, and find out if your relationship really can be repaired in just one minute.

I believe that without communication, there is no relation. So what is communication? Simply put, communication is expressing my needs to my partner. Most people enter into a relationship thinking that they know how to communicate. But then they find out that it is more difficult than they first thought. If you've ever watched two people in a conversation, and you look closely enough at the person who is supposed to be listening, you can actually see the wheels turning in their head. The wheels are not turning because they are thinking about how to process all of the information that they're receiving from their partner; the wheels are turning because they are already planning a response. Have you ever done that? This is the number one reason why communication rarely occurs in most relationships. No ones needs will be met unless the other person is willing to listen to those needs being expressed. You can't listen properly if you are planning your...[excuse the following expression, but its very appropriate] COUNTER-ATTACK!

So here is my time tested and proven method which I call, the magic minute. The first thing that you need is a couple who desires to communicate. The next thing you need is a minute glass. That's right, not an hourglass, but a minute glass, which can be found in most any superstore or toy store. Once the decision has been made on who will speak first, the person who is going to speak first will start the timer. That person has 60 seconds to express their feelings. Once that 60 seconds is up, the other person who was doing the listening must repeat what was said. Now here is the most important part of this process. Listen closely. The other person does not get their minute to speak until they have clearly articulated and repeated what was said; and the other person agrees that they were understood properly. If that person does not believe that they have been understood, then they get another 60 seconds to repeat themselves. For example, the person who was doing the listening would simply say, "so you're saying that blah blah blah, and this is how you feel when I blah blah blah blah blah. Is that correct?" If the other partner confirms that the response is correct, then its your turn to speak.

As I'm sure you will agree; writing this article was the easy part. Now comes the difficult part. Practice! You must practice this magic minute and see if it will not totally change your relationship. It won't be easy in the beginning, but anything worth having is worth working for. When you find yourself getting frustrated with the process, and wanting to give up; take a few seconds to think about the benefits. My wife and I have practiced this technique so often that we don't even need the timer anymore. It's still difficult sometimes; especially when there is anger involved; but when we stick with the process, things always turn out right in the end. The benefits of learning how to effectively communicate with your partner are truly immeasurable, but one thing is for sure. Your relationship will begin to be repaired immediately; and you will instantly begin to see that there truly is magic in the "Magic Minute."

Discover more inspiring, educational, life enhancing insights by going to my website and signing up for my free monthly newsletter. http://henryflowersiv.com. Use the contact form and just say "Sign me up for the newsletter."

Until next time, this has been...
A Husband & Father of Five,
Henry Flowers IV

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