Hey Honey, Please Help Me Recycle
Wednesday, November 08, 2017
If you are super excited about living the green life, but your spouse is not on board that can be frustrating and could eventually bring a riff into the marriage. You don't want the simple acts of living a sustainable lifestyle to come between the both of you do you? So how can you get your spouse on board and get them to become just as excited as you are? Here are a few ways:
LEARN WHAT EACH OTHER LIKES AND ATTEMPT TO EDUCATE THEM
"Will you turn that light off?" How many times have you said that? Better yet, what was your tone when you said that. All you have to do is provide a little explanation of what you are trying to accomplish by living sustainably. How you verbalize what you are saying to your spouse is really what matters.
Your spouse may not be as educated as you are about the environmental benefits of turning off the lights. Sure he knows it saves money, but explain the bigger picture so that he or she can see what you see. Real conversations create clarity.
HAVE A SIMPLE APPROACH
Some people will not make eco-friendly choices because it is too difficult or they feel like too much effort is required. To get the person that feels that way on board you must keep it simple.
Those paper plates are driving you up the wall that he keeps using and throwing away after he eats is driving you nuts. Then it's simple. You have to stop buying them. Or your spouse may be someone who is always adjusting the thermostat. Set the thermostat on automatic to where only a certain person can control it or that it can only be adjusted in a certain range. A lot of these are ideas that are right in your abilities to control.
When it’s all said and done, you can’t physically force your spouse to make certain choices. Each person has their own individual rights and it’s not up to you to police them or force them into making choices.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE
If you’re expecting your spouse to make key lifestyle changes in order to appease your desire to live sustainably, you’ll have to be willing to make some changes, too. As the saying goes, you have to give some ground if you want to get some.
Focus on what you can control and you’ll feel much more at peace. This doesn’t mean you agree with your spouse’s decision-making, but at least you can rest easy knowing that you aren’t responsible for everything your husband or wife does.
ALWAYS LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
Anytime you and your spouse have an ongoing argument or experience a point of friction for an extended period of time, you have to think about whether or not the negative repercussions are worth it. Being together and staying together is the most important thing in a marriage. Yes it does take compromise and it’s healthier for you in the marriage to learn to agree to disagree — no matter how painful it may be for you. Don't lose sight of what's most important.
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