Relationship
Some signs he wants a future with you
I’m always here to help you understand what is actually going on. If you’ve been getting a feeling that your guy is planning to spend the rest of his life with you, you definitely need confirmation. You cannot just go up to him and ask him because if he isn’t, you’re going to scare him away and come off as a desperate little girl, which you’re not. If you’re having doubts about whether your boyfriend is serious about you or wants to share his future with you, the following are signs that he is serious and wants to spend his life with you!
He introduces you to his family
If, after a long time of you guys being in a relationship, your boyfriend insists on taking you home to introduce you to his parents, it might mean that he’s thinking about his life together with you. Keep an ear out for ‘you’re the first girl he has brought home’ or ‘he rarely introduces us to a girlfriend’ because this is a positive sign, and he is serious about you. You’d be surprised how many guys are reluctant to bring a girl home.
He stands up for you even if his family on the other side
If he’s always there to defend your honour, that means he is head over heels for you. But does this mean he has a future planned out with you? Boyfriends usually do protect their girls, so no. It might mean that he wants to marry you when it comes to family. If, for some reason, his family is against you, and even then, he doesn’t let that affect your relationship, this means he wants to be with you. Nobody risks losing their family for some girl they’re ‘just dating’.
He sub-consciously makes future plans with you
‘Let’s go on a world tour once we retire,’ ‘How many kids do you want, ‘let’s settle down in New York’ are just random comments from him. Girls might say such things without actually meaning it, but for guys, it’s different. They are cautious about sending across the message of settling down with a girl unless they have thought about it themselves. So if your guy is comfortable saying these things to you, this means he has been thinking about it.
He starts behaving shady and saving money
Girls, this one is a complicated little one because it could either mean that he’s going to propose or that he’s cheating on you – well, that escalates quickly… If your guy all of a sudden has started cutting back on expenses and is being secretive, this might mean that he’s planning a proposal and wants to spend the saved money on getting you a ring. You’ll know which case it is because coming home late and ignoring your phone calls will warn you if it’s the latter. This shady behaviour is safe, like dropping hints like I have a surprise or we’re going away for the weekend, etc.
Something fishy in your jewelry drawer or maybe just a ring is missing
This one is the cutest sign and maybe one that ensures a proposal is on the way. No matter how secretive a guy is, he needs your finger size to get a ring that fits. For this purpose, he needs to go through your jewelry. Little do guys know, but girls will always realise if somebody has touched their stuff and definitely when a piece of their jewelry is missing. If your ring is missing or your boyfriend tries to ask your ring size jokingly, then expect a proposal anytime soon.
Relationship
What you should expect to learn in pre-marital counselling
- Pre-marital counselling involves couples coming together for joint therapy sessions
Many times, pre-marital counselling involves couples or partners coming together for joint therapy sessions. Working with a qualified marriage counsellor or therapist, you will learn skills to help improve your relationship as a couple.
At the same time, it is not all pre-marital counselling that leads to marriage. It is possible that certain discoveries (and major red flags) could emerge during the counselling sessions, and for that reason one of you may want to discontinue the marriage process so as to avoid any future regrets.
From my experience and professional practice, I would say that no matter how painful it is to break up a relationship prior to marriage; it is still far better to do that than to break up your marriage relationship.
The marriage breakup has more serious implications than any pain that could emerge from relationship break up.
In some instances, the specific topics to be explored and skills to be developed in your pre-marital counselling sessions will depend on your needs as a couple.
Despite this, I would give you all the topics and skills to expect your counsellor to take you through in order to have a happy and lasting relationship.
Even if you are not considering pre-marital counselling at the moment, you can still benefit from these skills and topics. They are also an excellent way to create depth in your conversations and build a solid healthy foundation in the early stages of your relationship.
Not in any specific order, I would like you to take note of these important skills and lessons you will learn in your sessions: 1 understanding the concept of marriage, 2 building a strong foundation for your marriage, 3 examining your expectations leading to your marriage, 4 undergoing medical tests and sometimes mental health assessment, 5 resolving conflicts together, 6 communicating openly and effectively, 7 taking decisions as a couple, 8. building a strong Christian home (if you’re Christians), 9 building transparency and trust, 10 knowing yourselves: your strengths and weaknesses—and how to improve them, 11 building commitment towards the marriage and each other, 12 accepting your unique roles and responsibilities in your marriage, 13 planning your future together, 14 sexual intimacy in marriage, 15 bearing and raising children, 16 understanding the concept of love, 17 the role of love languages in experiencing marital happiness, 18 managing your home finances, 19 defining your beliefs and values, 20 adjustments in marriage, 21 balancing love, work, and family life, 22 relating with your in-laws and third parties, 23 creating your unique marriage and family rituals, 24 engaging married couples to learn from them, 25 understanding divorce and what causes it, 26 Christian view on divorce, 27 preparing for your marriage ceremony, 28 planning for your honeymoon and how to maximise it, and finally, 29 making your first year of marriage count.
To be continued …
Source: Excerpts from ‘Preparing for a Happy and Fulfilling Marriage’ Book by REV. COUNSELOR PRINCE OFFEI (Psychotherapist and Marriage Therapist). https://counselorprinceass.wixsite.com/edu-counseling-psych
https://princeoffei22.wixsite. com/website-psychologist
https://princeoffei22.wixsite. com/website
COUNSELOR PRINCE & ASSOCIATES CONSULT (CPAC COUNSELLOR TRAINING INSTITUTE)
Relationship
Tips for creating healthy working relationships
We spend around a third of our lives at work. Our jobs and careers make a real impact on our overall levels of happiness. Having good work relationships will always make our jobs more enjoyable
Also, when we have great workplace relationships we will demonstrate cooperation, trust and fairness, activating the reward centre of our brains which encourages even more positive interactions.
Here are some tips to create healthy relationships at the workplace.
1. Focus on self-awareness
This means taking full responsibility for your words and actions, not letting your own negative emotions impact the people around us.
If you feel frustration or resentment towards others this will manifest in what you observe and the way you engage.
By developing your own Emotional Intelligence, you will become more adept at identifying and handling your emotions be able to recognise the needs of others.
Again, if you view colleagues with compassion and respect, you will improve your interactions and build strong working relationships.
What would happen if you stopped making judgments and embraced a positive appraisal of your co-workers? If we saw difference as something valuable that could be harnessed and actually enhance your perception and understanding of those around you? Your vibe will always attract your tribe.
2. Be open and honest
A good relationships depend on open, honest communication. Whether you are sending emails or meeting face-to-face or on video calls, the more effectively you communicate with those around you, the better you will connect. It is important to identify the nature of your relationships with others.
What is it that we need and what do our colleagues need from us? Once you know the fundamentals of what you need you can be clear with communicating and better understanding each other’s requirements.
3. Practice active listening
Good people skills are essential. How good are you at collaborating, communicating and managing challenge? People respond better to those who truly listen to what they have to say. By practicing active listening, you will talk less and understand colleagues more and you will quickly become trustworthy and have more successful interactions.
One key skill you can forget when listening is the power of a good question. Active listening is engaging in what you hear, asking questions such as ‘What would you like to happen?’ How can I help you address that? Shows you listen and you care.
4. Avoid bad people skills
Good people skills mean avoiding the bad people skills. Gossip and negativity can ruin any workplace relationships. If you are experiencing challenge with someone in your group, talk to them directly and kindly about the problem, be prepared to listen attentively and objectively.
Gossiping or colluding with other colleagues will only aggravate the issues, accelerating mistrust and animosity.
5. Give praise and feedback
Everyone wants to feel that their work is appreciated and to feel truly valued. Genuinely complimenting the work and actions of those around you is a great way to build relationships.
Be honest, precise and authentic when delivering praise. Thank you or a gentle word of encouragement can make all the difference to someone’s day. These positive interactions can have a ripple effect and create a much happier and more successful workplace
