I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that you probably think you know your partner really well.
But if put to the test, most people don’t know their partners as well as they think they do.
There are two reasons for this…
In this blog, we’ll discuss why people think they know their partners really well, but in actuality, they may be missing the bigger picture—and there are 2 reasons why. Then, I’ll give you 3 questions to ask your partner so you can really get to know them better. Read on…
You Think You Know Your Partner?
Most people in relationships would swear up and down that they know their partner very well… better than anyone else—even their own mother.
Some even say they know what their partner is going to say before they even say it.
It’s great when someone feels comfortable and familiar with their partner. It can mean they have a very close emotional connection.
You may feel you have a good emotional connection with your partner. But don’t be too quick to put them into a box and label it “know everything already.”
Because the truth is… as human beings, we are changing every day, being shaped and molded by our environment and experiences.
New things happen every day, new ideas are brought up, new products enter the market… so how can we say we know how someone will react to something, when they haven’t even experienced it yet?
For the most part, you may find your partner is predictable. And yet, we can shut off learning new things about our partner because we get caught in that mindset of already knowing everything there is to know.
There are two reasons for this:
Reason #1: We stop asking deep questions.
Reason #2: When we do ask questions, they’re not open-ended.
If you are asking questions that require only a “yes” or “no” answer such as, “Did you get the mail?” then it’s not very scintillating… nor does it help you more deeply know your partner.
Not every conversation is going to be a deep, philosophical discussion. But you should make it a practice to ask your partner something surprising once in a while… and their response may surprise you.
Here are 3 questions to get you started…
Question #1: What do you think you could do to enjoy life more?
Question #2: What do you hope to accomplish before you die?
Question #3: What car would you say best describes you, and why?
Now, have some fun with it… and when your partner shares their answer, dig for more. It will take practice for both of you to open up and have these types of conversations, but you really may be surprised by what you learn.
Do you feel you know everything there is to know about your partner?
Do you think your partner is capable of surprising you… in a good way?
What does your partner not know about you? Consider your beliefs, values, dreams, childhood memories…
Please share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
